Traveling to and from shows, rodeos, jackpots, competitions, and so on is by far the most dangerous aspect of the equine industry. Unfortunately, Brett, Stacy, and their daughter Mia had their worst nightmare.
On Saturday, January 18, the family enjoyed a happy day with their friends while watching Mia win a buckle. After the day was over, they loaded up for the short 2.5-hour drive home from Poplarville, Miss. to Pride, La.
Seconds after checking his mirrors and seeing no one, they heard a vehicle collide with the side of their truck. Stacy was in the passenger seat and looked over her shoulder to see a white truck push them off the road.
Everything happened fast. The family was now upside down and trapped, with water pouring into the cab. The cab was crushed and completely submerged in water and mud.
In an interview with WAFB, Stacy stated, “All I kept thinking was we’re going to drown and burn.”
Then, in the most reassuring voice, Stacy and Brett hear Mia, 14, say, “Don’t panic. I’m going to get everyone out.”
Mia was then able to kick the window out barefoot, while Brett ripped back the console (which had been crushed by the roof). Brett and Stacy were then able to army crawl into the backseat and follow Mia out the back window.
If this act alone wasn’t heroic enough, Mia dashed for the trailer. It had become detached when the truck began to roll. The trailer was dangling above the canal.
“I couldn’t hear whiskey moving, and I was terrified of the condition she would then find him,” Stacy, my mom, stated.
Stacy was pleading with Mia to wait for her parents. But she dove into the canal and swam to her horse.
As they approached the trailer, Brett and Stacy could hear Mia comforting Whiskey and assuring him that she would get him out of there safely — and she was right.
Mia then opened the stud door, turned Whiskey around, and led him to the back of the trailer. The two of them then SWAM out of the canal and into safety. Whiskey is expected to fully recover, and the team could compete within a month.
“I’m a critical care nurse, and Brett’s a retired firefighter. And I’m here to tell everyone that neither of us felt prepared for that situation. We were helpless. “Our daughter saved us,” Stacy explains.
Everyone walked away with minor cuts and bruises.
It was a hit-and-run accident. While things could have gone much worse, the family is still searching for answers. The left side of the truck will be damaged, as will the black paint from their truck. The Gilpin family is grateful to everyone who stepped up to help them in their time of need, and they appreciate the ongoing support here.