In a tragic incident that unfolded in the Florida Everglades, a pregnant woman found herself in the midst of a harrowing airboat crash. Alssya Windom, seven months pregnant, was on an airboat journey with her 7-year-old son AJ and his football team from Pittsburg, California. At 3:10 p.m. on Friday, December 13th, as they navigated through the waters, their airboat collided with another, sending shockwaves through the scene.

"In the Florida Everglades, a Crash Unfolds - Lives Forever Changed"

Details of the Crash

This particular spot in the Everglades was a curve, and with two boats approaching, it was a situation where reaction time was limited. Windom, now 31 years old, recounted the events, stating, "It was too late to react, respond. When I woke up, children were in the water. I believe we were knocked out for a few seconds, and the other boat was on top of our boat. It just took a while to kind of realize what was going on." The aftermath was chaotic, with the boat wrecked, water pouring in, kids screaming, and blood and mud everywhere. Windom herself conducted CPR on another mother she found "floating in the water" before she started to feel pain and had to move away. She was airlifted to a hospital along with a 3-year-old, and a total of 14 people were hospitalized.The crash occurred in the area south of U.S. 41 East between the 74 and 75 mile markers. A preliminary investigation determined that there were 20 passengers on one airboat and 13 people on the other. Wooten's Everglades Airboat Tours, which operated one of the vessels, issued a statement expressing their sincere sympathies to those involved and wishing them a speedy recovery.

Impact on the Pregnant Woman

Alssya Windom, a United Airlines flight attendant, is now unable to work for the foreseeable future. Her family has set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds for her medical and living expenses. In the crash, she also injured her leg, and her son is suffering from PTSD. "He was screaming on the way back home thinking the plane was going to crash, so he needs some therapy," Windom said.The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is currently investigating the incident to determine the cause and ensure the safety of future airboat operations in the area. This tragic event serves as a reminder of the importance of safety precautions and the potential consequences of such accidents in the beautiful but unpredictable Florida Everglades.