EP 055 - I lost my leg on my 27th birthday and was in a very dark place… here’s how I bounced back! w/ Barbie Garcia Artwork

Comfort Via Discomfort

Real People. Real Stories. Real Vulnerability. The CVD podcast features stories of how people from around the world have gotten to where they are today. We strip down what we can see about them online to really understand what happens behind the scenes. We talk about the challenges, triumphs, traumas, and experiences that have shaped who they are today and contributed to what they've accomplished. We dive deep into understanding how they've embraced discomfort and vulnerability throughout their lives, how they've built the confidence to live authentically, and what advice they have for someone that either feels stuck in life or simply wants more. These episodes are meant to inspire you to build the life of your dreams one step at a time and to show you that you're not alone in your struggles. No matter where you are in life, even if you feel totally stuck, you can take a step forward and change anything you want by leaning into discomfort and vulnerability. The only way to be comfortable is to be uncomfortable first.

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Comfort Via Discomfort

EP 055 - I lost my leg on my 27th birthday and was in a very dark place… here’s how I bounced back! w/ Barbie Garcia

October 23, 2023 • Adam Boismier • Episode 55

Welcome to EP 055 of the CVD Podcast!!

Birthdays are usually a time to celebrate. For Barbie Garcia, her 27th birthday will be one she never forgets because it changed her life FOREVER.

Barbie was on a boat off the coast of Mexico celebrating her birthday with her friends. Sounds pretty amazing, right!? It was... until the accident.

Barbie told the captain her and a friend wanted to go for a swim. A few minutes later, she jumped into the water and got sucked under the boat while it was still in drive! Her friends lost sight of her and feared for the worst. Barbie was trapped under the boat and the propeller was cutting through her legs!

Somehow, Barbie resurfaced and a friend jumped her to save her. Back on the boat, Barbie was fighting for her life. A panic brought out. Barbie could hear all her friends screaming, but didn't know exactly what was happening. Her life was changed forever!

Six years later, Barbie is thriving! She is proud owner of two businesses and is on Mexico's National Para Surfing team!

In this episode, Barbie gives you an all access pass to that tragic accident and how she's bounced back. Topics she covers:

Her life before the accident
- Where she grew up and what she was pursuing
- How and when she fell in love with surfing
The TRAGIC accident that changed her life forever
- How a beautiful and fun party turned into a nightmare
- The miscommunication with the captain that caused the accident
- All the GRAPHIC details of the accident itself
  - Being trapped under the boat
  - Resurfacing and seeing blood everywhere
  - An unlikely hero jumping in to grab her and applying a tourniquet
  - Hearing the screams of her friends once back on the boat
  - The process of getting from that boat to the hospital
  - Being in shock and the confusion of losing her leg
Immediately after the accident
- Trying to come to terms with the fact that she lost her legs
- Conversations with her family and the doctors
Being depressed and not knowing how to move forward
- ALL the questions that were constantly circling in her brain
- The fear and anxiety about not living a normal life or doing things she loved to do
- The stigma of being an amputee in Mexico and how she dealt with that
How she bounced back
- How a friend bringing her to beach started to change everything
- Finding "adaptive surfing" and falling in love with it
- How she became part of the National Para Surfing Team of Mexico

Where you can find and follow Barbie online:

Website: https://lapetitepoulainblog.wordpress.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barbie_garcia_ritchie/
Her Community: https://nas.io/the-big-wave-with-barbie-garcia

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People on this episode

Adam Boismier

Host