Bull Rider, 24, Takes ‘Horn Straight to the Neck’ in ‘Freak Accident’ ArticlePure

• Bull rider Zach Naegele, 24, was rushed to hospital on Feb. 7 after taking a horn “straight to the neck” during a “freak accident”
• The accident took place while Naegele was riding at the Conley Invitational Bull Ride in Palmetto, Florida
• “I lost over two gallons of blood, suffered nerve damage, and nicked my jugular,” Naegele wrote on his GoFundMe page

A Louisiana rodeo rider is recovering after a bull’s horn cut open his neck in a “freak accident” in Florida.

On Friday, Feb. 7, Zach Naegele, 24, was rushed to the hospital after the animal’s horn caught him “under the helmet” while he was riding at the Conley Invitational Bull Ride in Palmetto, per a GoFundMe page set up to help the rider with medical costs.

“I lost over two gallons of blood, suffered nerve damage, and nicked my jugular; I was then put into surgery to do plastic surgery on my neck and fix my small carotid artery that was severed,” Naegele wrote in the description.

“It was just a freak accident, but it did put me in the hospital unconscious and fighting for my life. I know that God has bigger plans for me in life; now it’s time to get healed up,” he added, thanking emergency services and anyone at the Manatee County Fair Grounds on Friday who was lifting him up “in prayer.”

“I’m beyond blessed for the prayers, messages, and constant phone calls, but even more so to be alive. Due to the circumstances, I will be out of work for a while to properly recover, which now leaves me with no sources of income,” Naegele wrote, adding that “anything donated is appreciated greatly.”

Naegele posted an update on Facebook on Sunday, Feb. 9 to say he had left the hospital and was back in Louisiana. On Monday, Feb. 10, he said that he was “headed back to the hospital” that day “to figure out when they want to remove this drain tube from my neck.”

“Just wanted to get on here and let everyone know that I did make it out of the hospital and I am in stable condition,” he posted on Sunday, saying on Tuesday, Feb. 11 that he was “Blessed just to be alive and walking.”

A friend of Naegele’s shared multiple photos and videos on Facebook, writing in a post, “My buddy Zach got in a bad Bull riding accident and took a horn straight to the neck,” urging people to donate amid his ongoing treatment.

The accident was thought to have happened just seconds into Naegele’s ride. “I really didn’t feel it when it first happened. I thought I broke my jaw until I grabbed my chin and then I seen the blood squirt out from my neck, and I said ‘this ain’t good,’ ” he told Fox 13.

Paramedic Max Pollack added of trying to get the bleeding to stop, “We are just putting as much pressure as we can on his neck without trying to choke him out. That’s how close it was. It was a pretty long and deep cut,” according to the outlet.

“It’s different whenever you ask God for another day, and you thank him for every day, but it’s a whole new ball game when you ask for another breath,” Naegele added to Fox 13 of feeling himself fading following the accident while being taken to the hospital. 

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Naegele, who has been riding bulls since he was 15, insisted he plans to continue once he’s recovered. 

“Whenever I get on, I always know it could be my last time, but you never really think about it when you’re there,” he said, per the outlet.

Naegeles’ GoFundMe page had raised almost $6,500 as of Friday, Feb. 14. PEOPLE has reached out to the bull rider for an update on his recovery.