A Massachusetts mother shares the harrowing experience of her family's Carnival cruise that took a dramatic turn when her 12-year-old son suffered a life-threatening medical emergency 350 nautical miles from the nearest hospital.
A Massachusetts mother is recounting the harrowing experience of her family's Carnival cruise that took a dramatic turn when her 12-year-old son suffered a life-threatening medical emergency 350 nautical miles from the nearest hospital.
Angela Bridges and her family were on a 10-day cruise to the Bahamas and through the Caribbean when her son Aiden experienced severe abdominal pain. Initially, the family thought he was suffering from seasickness, but his condition worsened rapidly.
"He was just throwing up and didn't seem OK," Bridges said.
Medical staff on the Carnival Venezia realized the severity of Aiden's condition and contacted rescuers. The U.S. Air Force 920th Rescue Wing responded, sending two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters, two HC-130J Combat King II aircraft, and two teams of combat rescue officers.
"Getting hoisted up there was honestly a lot less scary than I thought it was going to be," Bridges told Fox News Digital. "It was much more terrifying to watch them hoist my son up in the basket than to go up myself."
Rescuers flew 1,200 miles over eight hours, requiring three air-to-air refuelings to transport Bridges and her son from the cruise ship to a U.S. hospital in North Carolina.
"We had a whole excursion for all four of us in the Dominican Republic – we canceled all of it, and they didn't charge us for it," Bridges said.
Ultimately, Bridges said that "Carnival took care of [her family] in every way I would have asked for." However, she admits that the experience has made her question whether she will take another cruise in the future.
"I will say that this entire thing gives me a lot to consider," Bridges said. "On one hand, this was a really awful situation, and we didn't anticipate it whatsoever. For it to happen on a cruise makes it even worse."
"But on the other hand, the way that the situation was handled by Carnival and all the staff on the ship, it's kind of back and forth for me," Bridges said. "Thinking about it, do I really want to go on a cruise again, or do I not?"
Despite the traumatic experience, Bridges is grateful for the swift and professional response of the rescuers and the support provided by the Carnival staff. She said her son is recovering well and is thankful for the outpouring of support they have received.
