Lital Maman, 30, was injured in November during a vacation at a hotel in Israel, after a seemingly routine ride on a water slide ended in a serious accident. She says she and her then partner were allowed to go down together, and that she reached the bottom first, got up, and was then hit hard by him as he came down behind her.
Maman said the impact threw her into the water and left her feeling paralyzed. An ambulance took her to hospital, where doctors found two fractures in her spinal vertebrae. She was hospitalized for several days and wore a rigid medical brace for two months. Maman said doctors were shocked she was still able to stand. "The impact was so strong that even the doctors were shocked I was on my feet," she said.
Half a year later, she is still dealing with the aftermath. Although the fractures healed, she continues to suffer severe pain, sleepless nights, and has not returned to work. "I still haven't gone back to work and I suffer from terrible pain, it is important to me that others know to be careful," she said. "My back is still in treatment, and I am praying it returns to how it was."
Despite the injury, Maman said she feels gratitude for surviving. "The only thing I thought about was thanking God that I am alive and on my feet," she said. She said the experience made her value every moment and want to warn others about the dangers of a ride that may look harmless.
