BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Bull rider Zachary Naegele was living his dream when a “freak accident” left him fighting for his life.
The 24-year-old Greensburg native was competing at the Conley Invitational bull riding event in Palmetto, Florida, on Feb. 7 when he suffered a serious neck injury caused by a bull’s horn.
According to Naegele, the bull’s horn slipped under his helmet, cutting open his neck. He was rushed to the hospital, where doctors told him he was lucky to be alive.
“It’s a whole different ballgame when you’re asking God for another breath,” he said. “Doctors pretty much told me I was very lucky to be alive that an injury like that, a lot of people don’t walk away from.”
‘I had to fight to keep breathing’
Naegle said he lost more than two gallons of blood, suffered nerve damage, and nicked his jugular.
“I could feel myself going in and out from the amount of blood loss in the ambulance on the way to the hospital,” Naegele recalled. “I had to fight to keep breathing.”
He underwent plastic surgery to repair his small carotid artery that was severed. After three days in the ICU, he was stabilized and discharged to begin his recovery.
Road to recovery
Doctors estimate his recovery will take six to eight weeks, if not longer.
With medical bills mounting and no source of income during his recovery, Naegele started a GoFundMe campaign to help with expenses. As of Feb. 11, the fundraiser has collected over $2,800.
“I know that God has bigger plans for me in life; now it’s time to get healed up,” Naegele said.
A bull rider’s dream
Naegele has been riding bulls for over nine years and competes at a professional level. His journey in the sport began at Cross Brand Cowboy Church in Loranger, Louisiana, when he was 15 years old.
Before his injury, Naegele was close to earning his PBR (Professional Bull Riders) card and had recently won the Shelby County Invitational Bull Riding competition on Jan. 24.
Despite his injuries, Naegele remains determined to return to the sport he loves.
“I most definitely plan to get back into bull riding,” he said. “My goal is to make it onto one of the PBR teams, specifically the Oklahoma Wildcatters. The adrenaline rush you get from it. The traveling, the new sights, the new people, the friends and family you meet along the way and it’s just a different experience than a regular 9 to 5 job. And that’s why I fell in love with it so much.”
He also expressed gratitude for those who helped him in the aftermath of the accident.
“I want to thank everyone who was in the arena that night lifting me up in prayer, especially the EMTs and medical staff who got me the immediate attention I needed.”
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