SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - A Florida family shared their loved one’s remarkable progress weeks after a horrific snorkeling accident in the Florida Keys.
It’s been a whirlwind of emotions for the Bender family after 20-year-old Sean Bender was struck by a vessel’s propeller while snorkeling under the Boca Chica Bridge in the Lower Keys, July 25.
His parents, Jill and Steve Bender, have been by their son’s side ever since he was taken to Jackson South Medical Center.
Speaking with reporters on Friday, they said Sean is now starting to walk.
“It’s a miracle that he is,” said Jill.
“There is no other way to describe it,” said Steve.
He is also starting to talk.
“He is just talking up a storm, and he is moving his left arm,” said Jill as she wiped away tears.
He is even singing.
“He came out of a breathing apparatus, and I was playing some [Creedence Clearwater Revival], because he likes classic rock, and he was singing to it,” said Jill. “It was so special.”
Cellphone video shows Sean lying on his hospital bed, appearing to sing the lyrics to “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” and moving his right leg.
“I knew then that Sean was there. I knew it; I knew inside that he was going to be there,” said Jill.
Just weeks ago, Jill and Steve, who are from the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area, weren’t sure if their son, a college student, would see another day.
“We didn’t know if our son was going to survive, or if he was going to be a vegetable,” said Jill.
The 20-year-old was diving with his father during lobster mini-season, as they’ve done every summer for the last decade, when he was struck by a speedboat.
“It was catastrophic,” said Jill.
Jill and Steve said the boat that hit their son was going about 60 miles per hour.
“I’ve had nightmares. I replayed that moment many, many times,” said Steve.
The propeller nearly severed Sean’s arm, and caused damage to his skull.
“The beginning days were really, really scary, and we didn’t know if our son was going to survive,” said Jill.
But surgical teams at Jackson would not give up on him. They were able to reattach his arm.
His surgeon, Dr. Michael Monterey, said he continues to fight a brain injury.
“What I would say, for the future here, he has youth on his side, and that’s all the reason to be optimistic for him,” he said.
“They gave us our son back,” said Steve.
While Sean’s road to recovery will be long, it’s clear to his family and his doctors that the young man is a fighter.
“He was really trying to come out a little bit, and he took his right leg and put on my chest, and he was like, ‘I’m here,'” said Jill.
“He is the one that’s inspiring us,” said Steve.
Moving forward, as their son heals, the family hopes to bring more awareness to boater safety, so someone else doesn’t have to go through this.
“I’ve been on the water my entire life, and even I know that there’s opportunity for courses and requirements,” said Steve.
Jill and Steve said they’re thankful, adding the love and support they’ve received keeps them going.
“I’m very proud of our family. We are survivors. Our son is strong, and he has the will to heal,” said Steve.
As to whether someone will be held accountable for this boat crash, that all remains under investigation.
The Benders said their focus right now is on their son’s recovery. They have set up a SpotFund page to help with expenses. If you would like to make a donation, click here.
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