The woman was airlifted from Bear Lake after beachgoers used tourniquets to control severe bleeding from her injuries.
BEAR LAKE COUNTY, Idaho — Bystanders rushed to help a woman critically injured in a boating accident at Bear Lake, using tourniquets that authorities said saved her life before emergency crews could transport her to a hospital.
The woman, who has been identified only as being in her mid-30s, was tubing Saturday on the Idaho side of the lake when she was struck by the propeller of the boat towing her, according to the Bear Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Her injuries resulted in the amputation of both legs.
People on the beach moved quickly after the boat carrying the injured woman reached shore. They applied a tourniquet to one injury and used a strap on the other to slow the bleeding while waiting for medics.
“These actions ultimately saved her life,” the sheriff’s office said in a social media statement. The agency also praised the medical care provided by bystanders and emergency personnel before the woman was flown from the scene.
Dan Taylor, one of the people who helped, told KSL that he and his family were preparing to enter the water when they saw a boat approaching the beach with people calling for help. His wife told him to retrieve a tourniquet stored in their van.
Taylor said his family used a paddleboard to help move the woman and worked to control the bleeding. He estimated that medics arrived about 10 to 15 minutes later, followed by an ambulance and a medical helicopter.
Taylor had recently completed first-aid and CPR training connected to a mountain bike team. He said tourniquet use had been discussed during the class, leaving the emergency procedure fresh in his mind when the boat reached shore.
The woman remained conscious during the response, Taylor said. Her name has not been released, and organizers of an online fundraiser described her as a wife and mother of three whose family wishes to maintain her privacy.
She remained hospitalized in stable condition after undergoing multiple surgeries. The sheriff’s office said its investigation into the boating accident remained active, and officials had not released additional information about how the woman came into contact with the propeller.
Author note: Last updated July 16, 2026.