Former U.S. soldier nearly cut in half by boat propeller in Bahamas

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A former U.S. army ranger from Texas was seriously injured after he was struck by a boat propeller during a family vacation in the Bahamas.

Brent Slough, 42, of Prosper, Texas, was snorkeling when we has hit by the boat, WFAA reported. Slough’s wife Whitney told the outlet the vessel “came out of nowhere — and never stopped.”

Now she wants answers.

“They know they hit him, they saw him snorkeling. And they just drove off,” she said. “I can’t let that be.”

The West Point graduate, who served six years in the military and one tour in Iraq, suffered a vicious slice to the lower part of his body.

“His bottom was almost completely detached from his legs,” Whitney told KTVT, while Slough said his left leg “wasn’t functioning and I felt like something was wrong with my lower body.”

Other witnesses helped Whitney pull Slough from the water and they quickly wrapped him in towels to try to stop the bleeding. He was taken to a hospital before the family paid for him to be flown to Miami on July 1.

Slough sustained a fractured pelvis and leg and deep gashes and underwent a four-hour surgery.

Whitney told WFAA the surgical team was unable to stitch the wounds because of how deep they were and have instead been packing them as he heals.

“He knows God kept him alive for a reason and he has a purpose here and it’s bigger than us,” Whitney said of her husband.

Bahamian authorities are searching for the boat and crew responsible for the incident, she said.

“There’s no way that they should be able to get away with this.”

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A GoFundMe has since been launched to help the family as Slough recovers.

“His upcoming medical needs are great — but we know God will move to make this happen for the Slough family,” the fundraising page says.

As of Monday afternoon, more than $83,000 had been raised, surpassing its $80,000 goal.

Whitney also told KTVT her family won’t stop until Slough gets justice.

“They’re going to be found,” she said of the reckless boaters.

“It’s against the law to be within 200 feet of the shore,” she added, saying her husband was only “about 20 feet out.

“I just wish they would turn themselves in, but if they don’t turn themselves in, then we have to find them.”