Genevieve Gallagher, a 49-year-old mother of three from Pensacola, Florida, who has recently had a near death experience. It began like many great adventures do—on a family boating excursion. On July 27, Gallagher, along with her husband Dana and their seven-year-old daughter Mila, took to the waters of Pensacola Bay for a day of leisure. What had started out as an exciting day turned to horror. She had an innocuous injury that blossomed into a devastating bacterial infection.
Gallagher placed a waterproof bandage over a small cut on her left leg before entering the water. Even with all these precautions taken, her health continued to rapidly decline after the trip. After using doctor’s shears to remove an anklet that had become embedded in her leg, she noticed alarming symptoms: her leg turned black and developed bubbles of liquid.
“Monday, everything was fine. Tuesday, everything was fine. Wednesday is when all hell broke loose.”
By July 30, Gallagher’s health had drastically deteriorated. Soon she was exhibiting signs of septic shock as her organs began to fail. A visit to the local hospital’s emergency room revealed the cause of her distress: a vibrio bacterial infection, which can be associated with exposure to warm seawater and open wounds.
The effects of the infection were devastating. Doctors told Gallagher of the severity of infection. It had destroyed so much tissue that they had to remove her skin and most of the muscle from her leg below the knee. Unfortunately, even after extensive medical treatment, including muscle graft surgery and continuous treatment to care for the complications, this was required.
They had done a remarkable job rescuing my life. I could have lost my life. Forget my leg — forget my life,” Gallagher told NBC News, recalling her experience.
Today, Gallagher is still hospitalized as she heals from the traumatic physical and emotional experiences. Dana Gallagher, her husband, has started an online fundraiser. He wants to address soaring medical costs from this unprecedented public health emergency.
Beyond physical pain and recovery, Gallagher has reported post-traumatic stress from the incident. “I do not want this to happen to anybody else. This is the most traumatic thing that has ever happened … not only to me but to my family,” she shared.
This is why Gallagher would like to get her story out. She wants to educate people that if you have any open cuts or abrasions, do not go into the water. She warned people not to get into water shortly after shaving or if they have any open cuts or abrasions. I would not want to wish this situation on my worst enemy. So I just really want to warn people, y’all … do not walk in that room after you’ve shaved your legs. Don’t step inside if you have the smallest sore on your hand,” she cautioned.
Despite the severity of her condition and the challenges ahead, Gallagher remains grateful for her life and the support she has received. Her story serves as a sobering reminder of the potential dangers lurking in seemingly harmless activities like boating and swimming.
