Rodeo rider almost bleeds to death after being gored by bull horn in mid-air
A professional rodeo rider suffered one of the most gruesome injuries imaginable while bull-riding.
Hundreds of spectators looked on as Zachary Naegel was 'busted' off his animal at the Conley Invitation Bull Riding competition in Palmetto, Florida, USA, on 7 February.
The 24-year-old made the 11-hour trek from his home in Amity, Louisiana, to take part in the competition and was left with life-threatening injuries.
When Zachary was thrown off the bull, its horn punctured a hole through his neck and carotid artery, which is essential to deliver blood to the brain and head.
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Graphic images show the bull's horn piercing three-inches deep into Zachary's neck as he's falling off its back.
Despite the assumed dangers of this happening, horn tipping (where bulls' horns are blunted to reduce the chances of riders getting injured) is common in the line of work.
First thinking that he was hit in the face, the rodeo rider was in for a nasty surprise when he realised his neck was pumping out blood.
After being rushed to a Florida hospital for emergency surgery, the rodeo rider said that doctors think the odds were stacked against him because of the sheer volume of blood he lost.
It's a miracle that he's still alive, as he could feel himself 'slowly dying' before making his recovery, now walking, talking and even eating on his own.
Now discharged from hospital, he spoke about the incident, and how he has no plans to put his bull-riding days behind him.
"The bull ended up busting me off but when he [did] his horn ended up puncturing through my neck under my jaw and going into my neck about three inches," he explained.
He recalled: "At first I didn't know it impaled me in the neck.
"I saw the blood when I ran away and as soon as I got behind the chute I grabbed my chin because I thought the bull had busted my chin or jaw."
"When I grabbed my jaw, the blood was still pouring out. If you've ever taken a syringe full of water and squirted it, that's how it looked coming out of my neck," Zachary said.
In the ambulance, he said that he was losing breath and 'going in and out' of consciousness.
"When I was in the ambulance, I lost so much blood. The first thing I lost was my eyesight and my vision went black.
"I could hear the EMT telling me to keep breathing and to not give up," the 24-year-old said.
He blacked out before he got to the hospital, and while there was no pulse in his neck and arm, there was one in his foot, so doctors went ahead with plastic surgery to rebuild his carotid artery and reattach the nerves in his neck.
Nothing had happened in Zachary's 10 years of bull riding, as he said it was 'surprising' to wake up, as he thought he would die.
He explained that they closed the artery as it was unrepairable after cleaning the wound out, and as the plastic surgeon stitched him up from the inside, he would be left with little scarring.
"The doctor told me that I should not be alive and that I'm blessed to be," he said.
Zachary still dreams of returning to the sport, and aims to become a member of the Oklahoma Wildcats, a Professional Bull Riders team.
At home he is back doing every day tasks, admitting that he was 'shocked' at his fast recovery, adding: "Within a few months I plan on getting back and chasing my dream.
"This hasn't put me off being a rodeo athlete, bull riding is my main source of income."
While he is nervous of returning to the arena, he is determined to overcome this 'freak accident'.
He concluded: "It's a miracle that I'm alive. If it wasn't for God, I wouldn't be here today."
A Conley Invitational Bull Riding spokesman said: "Thank you for reaching out. First and foremost, we're incredibly grateful that Zachary is safe and on the road to recovery.
"Bull riding is a sport of unmatched skill, courage, and unpredictability, and while injuries are an unfortunate reality, the resilience of athletes like Zachary is truly inspiring.
"At the Conley Invitational Bull Riding, contestant safety is always our top priority. We're thankful for the swift response of our experienced professionals and medical team, whose dedication helps keep our riders as safe as possible."
A fundraising page has since been set up to help Zachary pay for his medical bills and recovery, and you can donate to Zachary's GoFundMe page here.
Joshua Nair