WEEk of DEcEmbEr 4, 2024 FLIER INSIDE
Holiday tradition Annual Christmas Boat Parade in St. James City scheduled for Dec. 14 — INSIDE pINEISlaND-EaglE.com
VolumE 48, NumbEr 31
Matlacha boating accident survivor thanks care team for miraculous recovery By CJ HADDAD
cjhaddad@breezenewspapers.com
A Southwest Florida woman who suffered a horrific injury in a boating incident on Matlacha provided an update on her recovery in Fort Myers Tuesday morning. Nichole Hall lost her leg and parts of her hip last April in the accident, and has shown immense strength and focus on continuing to improve. She joined members of her Care Team at Gulf Coast Medical Center, and thanked all of the doctors, nurses, and staff. After talking through her story, how despite trials and tribulations of fighting back from the rare amputation that not many survive, infections, and just something as simple as rolling over in bed, Hall shared a saying that one of the nurses told her that hit home. “One of the nurses actually told me, and I think it was a military saying, ‘You should focus on what you have, and
not what you don’t have.’ That was one of the biggest things that helped me. I would actually make a list on the days that I was having a rough day, of all the good things in my life.” Hall shared some positive news Tuesday, news that will play a major role in her recovery and getting back to a semblance of normalcy. “I was recently fit for a new prosthetic,” Hall said. “I named her ‘Peggy’ just as a humorous tribute to the traditional peg leg. We try to find the humor in everything. I’m still very much learning how to walk again. But I’m also very determined. “I’m happy to be here today and share my story, and give hope to others. That certainly would not be possible without my surgeons, doctors, nurses, CNAs and everyone who has helped me in so many ways.” Lee Health Trauma Surgeon Dr. Joseph Lewis said
Beacon of Hope Holiday House at Tarpon Lodge this weekend By PAULETTE LeBLANC
pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com
W
hile back to back storms were bad news for many this fall, even named hurricanes could not stop plans for the Beacon of Hope Holiday House event at the Tarpon Lodge. According to Beacon of Hope board member Elsie Stearns, many folks are excited to undergo the steadfast holiday event that has become in itself a Pine Island treasure. “We’re hoping that everyone will come and bring their shopping bags to support all these local vendors,” Stearns said. Anyone looking to grab some one-of-akind holiday gift while visiting with friends, listening to music and snacking on Tarpon Lodge gourmet treats won’t be disappointed, she said, maintaining that this yearly event is just one example of islanders taking care of islanders. Stearns explained the importance of finding out how best to support island PHOTO PROVIDED BY ELSIE STEARNS businesses owners even outside this event, as many are at a critical time, either From left are EV Goodwyn, Marjorie Goodwyn and Elsie rebuilding or having just come back from Stearns. it. compensate for all the vendors this year. “I think this will be a great opportunity to reconnect In addition, Stearns said she is hoping every with Pine Island business owners and find out if they islander, even those needing only one gift, finds the are at other venues so we can support them, not just at opportunity to come by and support their fellow island Holiday House but in the future in new places or back community. in their old places,” Stearns said. “I think it’s a big opportunity to say to the other She is looking forward to the live music scheduled islanders, ‘We care about you and want to help you to for each night, as well as Saturday night’s wine tasting, continue to be successful,’” Stearns said. explaining that the shopping area has been extended to See HOLIDAY HOUSE, page 15
when Hall first arrived, “It was one of those moments where it was like, ‘Oh my God. She’s alive.” Lewis said that people who suffered the same injuries that Hall did, don’t typically make it to the hospital. “I think that is the first amazing thing that happened within the community,” he said. “When we have patients that are so critically ill, we can turn the story around and make a very happy ending. There’s actually no reported survivors from something of this nature. “She was able to make it to us, and then we were able to take her to the operating room, control the bleeding, stabilize her in the ICU after that, and then do several more aggressive surgeries.” Lewis looked over at Hall on Tuesday morning, and told her, “I can tell you’re just full of love. And I think that’s part of going through an experience like this and See SURVIVOR, page 11
Celebrating Pine Islanders: Dusty Harrington By PAULETTE LeBLANC
pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com
Islander Dusty Harrington said he wouldn’t choose to describe himself but if he had to, he said he’s a man with too much time on his hands and not enough energy to use it. Although folks often find him to be quite comical, he said he never pursued standup comedy as a career. “I think the comedian side of me is more by accident than design. I’ll say something I think is serious and then judging the reaction I see that people thought it was funny,” Harrington said. What he did find himself pursuing was a bit on the wild side, as he said he was a roadie and sound man for Dusty Harrington numerous bands in the 1960s and 1970s. After tiring of life up North, Harrington said he ended up with a café in Madeira Beach, Florida. It wasn’t long until he became a commercial fisherman in the St. Petersburg area, but a back injury forced him to stay with a relative in Virginia. “I met my wife while I was there and ended up going to Boston to go to school for locksmithing,” Harrington said. Harrington decided he wanted to move to Florida with his wife, Jeannie, and her daughters, Heather and Jennifer, although not back to Madeira Beach, as the town had lent itself too much to the single-life, he said. He and Jeannie had rented a house for three months on Pine Island in the summer of 1990, which ironically ended up being the house they bought after moving here. “It was funny because when we rented this place for that three months, I couldn’t get out of the house fast enough, I hated this place. Now, they’re gonna have to See DUSTY HARRINGTON, page 15
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