Kansas Grandma Swept into Ocean During Destination Wedding

What was supposed to be a picture-perfect destination wedding in Cabo San Lucas turned into a near tragedy when a Kansas grandmother was suddenly pulled into the ocean by a freak wave.

Barb Prier, visiting Mexico for her family’s June wedding, was taking a peaceful morning walk along the beach with her sister when disaster struck. “The waves didn’t seem very rough,” she recalled — until, in an instant, “a couple of the waves came in, one on top of each other,” slamming into her and dragging her out to sea.

Locals call it mar de fondo — an unpredictable phenomenon where deceptively calm water turns violent without warning. In moments, Barb was caught in the ocean’s powerful grip. “She was in the washing machine, so to speak,” her son Tim said. “Just being pounded over and over again.”

Three resort workers — who had been setting up for the wedding — rushed to form a human chain and pulled Barb to shore. As family members prayed on the sand, four wedding guests trained in medicine performed CPR until she started breathing again.

Tim remembers the moment vividly. “I didn’t want that visual if this was going to be the last time I saw my mother,” he said. “So, I just looked down and grabbed the people’s hands around me, and we all started praying.”

Barb was rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries: a punctured lung, a fractured spine, broken legs, and severe internal damage. Doctors warned she would never walk, talk, or live independently again. But months later, she’s defied every prediction. “Well, there’s five miracles right there,” she said with a laugh.

Today, Barb can walk, talk, and even smile again — crediting faith, family, and sheer willpower. “Through it all, God was there,” she said.

Incredibly, the wedding still went on as planned. The groom’s father — who had helped save Barb — kept the entire ordeal a secret until after the honeymoon. “They knew I wouldn’t want the wedding to stop,” Barb added.

What began as a family celebration became a story of survival and grace — proof that even in life’s most terrifying moments, miracles can happen.

(Source: KCTV / The Cabo Sun)