Rose

10 of 12
 
Looking for a new beginning, Rose, a single mother, went to work on a fishing ship. She and her 142 shipmates lived at sea for up to five months at a time, working to catch and process fish, all on board. After a year, Rose also began a relationship with Alex, one of her shipmates.

During a storm one day at sea, Rose was sent below deck to clean a giant fish grinder. The machine was turned off and Rose climbed inside. Then a massive wave hit the ship and knocked a crew member off balance straight into the power switch that controlled the grinder. As the machine started up, Rose was trapped inside. "I could feel my ankles crunch. It grabbed my legs so fast. It was just immediate pain and I was screaming for help and hollering for them to turn the machine off."

Rose was trapped, completely conscious and in intense pain for two hours. Though her co-workers were finally able to free her using plasma torches and welding equipment, Rose was still in grave danger. Her lower legs were completely mangled and she was bleeding nearly to death.

But Rose wasn't only fighting for her own life. The morning of the accident, Rose had discovered that she was pregnant. The boat was hundreds of miles from land and bad weather was making it nearly impossible for a Coast Guard rescue helicopter to reach Rose and her unborn baby.