Nichole Hall. PROVIDED/FILE

Fundraising efforts for a Bokeelia woman who lost her leg in a boating accident this past April continue this weekend in Saint James City.

This Saturday at American Legion Post 136, a fundraiser and benefit will be held for Nichole Hall featuring entertainment, silent auction, and 50/50 raffle. The event starts at 4 p.m. and runs until 9, and will include live entertainment from “Pipe Dreams,” as well as food and drink.

“It’s been amazing to see the support from the community,” Hall said. “I’m going through something that’s really hard, but the support of my friends and family and the community has definitely made it easier. I think it’s overwhelming to see. It helped me when I was in the hospital — looking at videos and pictures, it’s been really great.”

The accident happened April 20 while traveling home after performing charity work to assist a friend, kayaking from boat to boat collecting money for the good cause.

After a tumultuous 24 hours following the incident, including the amputation of her left leg, Hall, who is 29, woke up the next day and was able to communicate via notebook. After a few surgeries, she was eventually able to stand on her own next to her hospital bed.

On the way home, she and a few friends were on a boat of their own, traveling at a low rate of speed in shallow water. There, the boat hit either a wave or an object in the water, causing Hall and two others to be thrown from the boat. Unfortunately, Hall was hit by the propeller. She was quickly helped by others on the boat.

While Hall continues to fight, her family says the type of amputation that was required, a hemipelvectomy, is a rare and uncommon amputation of the entire leg, as well as a portion of the pelvis. Not many have survived this type of amputation. In fact, according to a fellow amputee Hall met, she is only the 203rd person to have this specific type of amputation and survive.

Hall, who served as sales and marketing director at Atrium at Liberty Park in Cape Coral, has been out of the hospital for five weeks and said she has completed physical therapy and will start outpatient work soon. Her home is currently undergoing renovations to be more handicap accessible. She said she’s even been able to go to the gym a few times.

This past Monday, Hall had her first appointment with a prosthetist to start work on the prosthetic she will utilize.

“That’s the biggest thing is to get that prosthetic, and I’m really excited for that,’ Hall said.”I had my first casting appointment, and with my type of amputation, you don’t just have to cast the knee. It’s not just the leg and putting it on, it’s around my hip.”

Hall said her surgeon is going to publish the work done with her in a medical journal, so that other professionals around the world can use it to potentially save other lives.

“I’m hoping that that’s going to help in future cases where people have to have this amputation so they can get through it and fight it and have a better chance of surviving and living a full life afterwards,” Hall said. “I’m trying to find any sort of positive out of this I can, so it makes me feel good. I’m big on trying to help others, and I want to give back, so I’m really excited that hopefully this can provide an opportunity for somebody else to have their daughter or loved one. That would be amazing.”

Fundraising events for Hall have taken place since her accident in April, but this will be the first one she will attend in person. It’s sure to be an emotional one.

“It’s going to be really exciting, but I’m sure really emotional, too, to see everybody in person,” Hall said.

Proceeds from the fundraiser will assist Hall with medical bills and most importantly, the prosthetic she will soon receive.

“When I spoke with another amputee (below the knee), she said that out-of-pocket, after insurance covers the leg, she could buy a brand-new car every year with what she spends on out-of-pocket expenses,” Hall said. “It’s definitely going to be expensive. To try and live a normal life, those expenses are going to be immense. Having the support of the community definitely makes it easier financially. That was a big thing I was worried about. And even with donations and support, I’m worried about the future. But it’s definitely been a help.”

Hall, who is described as a “saint” by her family, said she wouldn’t be where she is today without their love.

“They’ve been a huge support,” she said. “Just being in the hospital, I had a group of 30 people that were out in the parking lot tailgating almost every day for the first week making sure I was going to be OK. It’s such a good feeling knowing that I have that, and I can’t thank everybody enough for what they’ve done.”

American Legion Post 136 is at 4106 Stringfellow Road in Saint James City.