A dream vacation turned into a nightmare for an Okaloosa family after the husband suffered a spinal cord injury while swimming in the Mediterranean Sea and became stranded when war broke out days later.  

• Jana McDonald, who owns Term Brokers Insurance in Fort Walton Beach, began sharing fun images and videos of her trip. However, they quickly turned into prayers requests from her family and friends back in the states.

On October 1, she and her husband Chris had about 45 minutes to swim in the Mediterranean Sea. The pair spent their time body surfing, much like they do on our beaches in Florida. McDonald says that after riding the waves several times, she went to look for Chris and found him face down in the water.

McDonald swam over and pulled Chris to shore. He was “blue all over” and lifeless as bystanders tried to help. Paramedics managed to revive him after eight minutes with no heartbeat and raced him to the hospital where he was put on life support. 

• “I have never felt more alone in my life,” wrote McDonald. “They pumped green sea water for days.”

McDonald provided more details on her husband’s injuries, indicating he suffered spinal synapse causing a bulging disc in his neck while swimming. She said doctors believe he passed out and drowned after being unable to move his arms and legs.  

• “The doctors said he only had less than a 20% chance of survival,” she explained. “He had so much magnesium in his body from the sea and he was facing kidney failure.”

On October 6, McDonald reported hearing sirens and explosions from Chris’ hospital room in Tel Aviv. Israel’s Iron Dome defense system was intercepting rockets fired by militants from Gaza.

Chris underwent emergency neck surgery and slowly regained consciousness, but is now unable to walk or use his hands. With her husband dependent on life support equipment, McDonald said the family was unable to move to the bunkers with the rest of the hospital when sirens sounded during subsequent rocket attacks.

McDonald wrote that Chris’ surgery was to prevent complete paralysis. She said he cannot press a call button for help and requires constant care, leaving the family stuck at the hospital.

• “We need all of you to continue to pray for our family and for Israel,” McDonald wrote, calling for prayers and positive energy as her husband recovers. “We saw two missiles out of our window and we could not go to shelter the first time because of his life support.”

Despite the trauma of seeing her husband near death, McDonald said their family has witnessed “miracles” during the ordeal. But with no way to evacuate her husband back to Florida amid the war, she is pleading for assistance getting him home.

“We made it through the day with no sirens and missiles, not sure if false security,” wrote McDonald on Wednesday. “So many people are in tears and are always looking for safe bunkers with every loud sound you hear. Please keep Chris in your prayers for healing. Pray for peace of all people, all religions.”

On Thursday, Governor Ron DeSantis signed Executive Order 23-208 (Emergency Management – Impacts of War in Israel). According to the Governor’s Office, there are more than 20,000 Americans, including Floridians like the McDonalds, in Israel who wish to return home but are unable to do so.

• “This Executive Order allows the State of Florida to carry out logistical, rescue and evacuation operations to keep its residents safe,” wrote the Governor’s Office in a statement. “Specifically, this order enables the Florida Division of Emergency Management to bring Floridians home and transport necessary supplies to Israel.”

To help Jana, Chris and Hannah McDonald, you can donate to their GoFundMe page.