A medical assistant from Florida, Daniella Abreu, 24, suffered a life-altering accident while walking her 60-pound husky, Blu, in their Stuart neighborhood on the night of August 7, 2023. The incident occurred when Blu spotted a rabbit and lunged towards it, causing the retractable leash Abreu was using to snap back and strike her in the face. The force of the impact was so severe that it left Abreu permanently blind in her right eye.
Abreu had been using a rope leash to control Blu due to his size, but had switched to an old retractable leash after her usual one became frayed. The sudden lunge of the dog caused the leash to give out, and the handle of the retractable leash hit Abreu in the face, causing a significant amount of bleeding.
In the immediate aftermath of the incident, Abreu ran home to her parents, who were terrified by the sight of her injuries. Despite not knowing the full extent of her injuries at the time, Abreu was aware that she was in a severe situation due to the amount of blood she was losing. She eventually passed out from the shock.
Abreu was quickly transported to a trauma center in Fort Pierce, an hour away from her home. Her injuries included a split eyelid, a fracture under her eye, and a detached retina. After undergoing X-rays and having her eyelid stitched back together, Abreu was faced with the painful reality of her situation. She described the pain as a “10 out of 10” and broke down in tears due to the severity of it.
Following emergency surgery in Miami, Abreu was declared permanently blind in her right eye. She underwent four additional surgeries, which confirmed the extent of the damage and led to the removal of her eye. The recovery process was challenging for Abreu, who spent the first few months bedridden, sleeping often as a way to cope with her situation.
The incident has had a profound impact on Abreu’s life, causing her to put her active lifestyle on hold. She has also experienced severe migraines, PTSD, and anxiety and panic attacks as a result of the incident. Abreu has sought therapy and was fitted with a prosthetic eye after her final surgery in June. The prosthetic eye is expected to last for three to five years before needing to be replaced.
In the wake of the incident, Abreu’s neighbors, who have known her for over 15 years, started a GoFundMe campaign to help with her recovery. The campaign hopes to raise funds that could potentially help restore Abreu’s vision with the help of new medical technology.