Lauren Scruggs is still recovering from the horrific accident that left her without an eye and half of her arm in 2011, and last month the model reached another major milestone.
In a video posted by her husband Jason Kennedy on Instagram, Scruggs could be seen as she went wakeboarding for the first time since she almost lost her life when she walked into the propeller of a plane.
‘The lake was her life before the accident, this was her first time back in almost 6 years and she didn’t skip a beat. I still can’t do this with 2 hands! You’re my hero @laurenscruggs,’ wrote Kennedy.
Scruggs had no issues at all either in her first time out on the water, gliding along the top of the lake effortlessly while out on vacation with her husband, his E! News co-worker Giuliana Rancic and her husband, former ‘Apprentice’ winner Bill.
It was Bill who helped Scruggs once she got in the water, holding the rope attached the boat so that it would remain taut for her as she set off on her run.
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The Scrugg-le is real: Lauren Scruggs (above) went wakeboarding last month for the first time since losing her arm and eye in a 2011 plane accident
Waking on suhine: ‘The lake was her life before the accident, this was her first time back in almost 6 years and she didn’t skip a beat,’ wrote husband Jason Kennedy (Scruggs above getting some help from friend Bill Rancic)
Cool runnings: Kennedy also posted a video of his wife effortlessly gliding on the water (above) while referring to her as his ‘hero’
Grusome scene: Scruggs lost her left arm and left eye in the wake of her 2011 accident, which occurred after a night of sightseeing in Dallas from her friend’s plane
Kennedy later proved to be a decent waterboarder himself, and was even able to let go and glide along the water for a bit at the end of his ride.
Rancic outshone them all however, doing this all while balancing his nephew on his shoulders.
His wife meanwhile served as the phtographer and videographer during the outing , with Scruggs later posting a video Giuliana took of her and Kennedy nlaying in the boat.
‘Happiest place I could be. thanks for this photo, G!’ wrote Scruggs.
Scruggs was just 23 when the accident that nearly took her life occurred after a night spent flying around Dallas to look at the city’s holiday decorations from the sky.
It was dark by the time she and her friend landed on December 11, and while making her way off the tarmac Scruggs walked into the plane’s propeller.
Her left hand was instantly severed and her left eye eventually had to be removed as a result of the injuries suffered by Scruggs, who was an up-and-coming fashion editor at the time.
She also suffered serious brain and head trauma that could havve potentially been fatal.
Scruggs spoke about that night a year later during an appearance on ‘Today,’ revealing that she had a suspicion something bad might happen during that flight around Dallas.
‘I remember getting into the plane, and I was kind of fearful,’ said Scruggs.
‘I didn’t know why. I just felt like something was going to happen, and we landed and I thought that was interesting because I was just thinking we were going to crash. I just remember my feet touching the ground, and that’s all I remember.’
Heaven-sent: She was ready to reenter the world after a year of therapy and recovery, at which point she met Kennedy, who she later married in 2014
Jason wakes; Kennedy also proved to be quite adept at wakeboarding (above) for a beginner
Witnesses: Scruggs had been observing the holiday lights in Dallas high in the sky from her friends plane on December 11 when she walked into the propeller after they landed (mom Cheryl and dad Jeff above)
Taking it off: Scruggs removed her prosthetic arm for the first time in public just this past June on Larry King’s program
Scruggs revealed that she was simply exiting the aircraft the way she had been taught in the past, unaware of the danger she was walking straight into at the time.
The gruesome scene was witnessed by a number of people that night, including her parents.
‘The lady came running in the house and just said that Lauren was hit by a propeller, and I was just kind of stunned,’ said her mother Cheryl.
‘I didn’t really know how to react at that moment because I actually never heard of anyone doing that, so as I gathered my thoughts and just my body, I kind of ran outside and ran to the tarmac. And she was out there laying on her stomach in a pool of blood.’
She then added: ‘I wasn’t really sure if she was alive or dead at that moment.’
Scruggs was rushed to the hospital, and while doctors were able to save her life they warned her parents that her personality may be different and her ability to speak could be gone for good.
The next year was spent working on her recovery, and ended with her being otufitted with a prosthetic arm and eye to begin her new life.
It was shortly after that when she met Kennedy, with the couple marrying in 2014 after a two-year courtship.