A Memphis graduate is fighting for her life after a celebratory trip took a horrifying turn. Hannah Smith graduated summa cum laude on May 3 from Miles College located in Alabama. She and a friend traveled to the Bahamas to celebrate, then the unthinkable happened.
According to Smith’s family, the 22-year-old was on a pontoon boat when it docked at Nassau on May 12. Although the investigation into exactly what happened remains ongoing, officials said somehow Smith ended up in the water.
“These kids work their a***s off to graduate. It was a celebratory trip,” her mother, Tracy Smith told Dailymail.com. “Do they have fun? Yes. Were they drunk? No. Did she jump? No. Are we completely aware of what happened? No.”
Police sources told the Daily Mail alcohol likely played a role in the accident, contradicting her mother’s theory. The Royal Bahamas Police confirmed the investigation saying, “The victim is alleged to have entered the water from a vessel she was a passenger on while it was attempting to dock.”
Police suggested Smith jumped into the water, but others say she fell. She was then dragged under the water by the boat’s propeller blades, which slashed her legs and partially severed them, according to reports.
“But could there have been a safety mechanism that was off, was the boat rocking, we are not 100 percent sure of that,” Tracy continued. “There are so many things that could have been happening. I want to know the truth. This was a young woman, happy, celebrating her life and now she’s fighting for it.”
The ferry’s captain told police he heard cries that “she jumped off” and a banging sound coming from the side of the vessel. He then spotted Smith surrounded by a pool of blood in the water and quickly put the engine into neutral, according to reports. She was rescued only when two female passengers grabbed her arms and dragged her back onboard.
She was then rushed to the hospital, where she remains in critical condition. A GoFundMe page was created in Smith’s honor. “Through the grace of God, she’s still with us, but the road ahead is long, filled with surgeries, recovery, and overwhelming medical costs,” the post read. “We’re asking for your prayers, your support, and—if you can—your help through her GoFundMe.”