On New Year’s Day, Alexis Scott-Windham, a 23-year-old woman from Alabama, was struck by a terrorist-driven pickup truck in an attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. After being injured in the attack, her friends called her mother, Tryphena Scott-Windham, for help. Tryphena instructed them to create a tourniquet using a sock to control Alexis’s bleeding until they could get her to a nearby hospital. A stranger then drove Alexis to the hospital, for which she is extremely grateful. The attacker was later identified as U.S. Army veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar, who had proclaimed his support for the Islamic State terrorist group. The attack resulted in 14 deaths and numerous injuries.
Alexis had been in New Orleans with a group of friends to celebrate and was witness to the horrific attack. Standing on the sidewalk outside a pizzeria, she heard a revving engine and saw the pickup truck heading directly towards her. The truck began running over people, and she was clipped by the vehicle, causing her to fall to the ground. She then heard gunshots and realized that she had been shot in the foot. Despite the chaos and carnage around her, Alexis managed to get out of harm’s way and await help. The police quickly arrived and called for an ambulance after seeing her injured foot.
The friends on the scene immediately contacted her mother, who instructed them to make the tourniquet to stop Alexis’s bleeding. A stranger and his girlfriend then drove her to the University Medical Center for treatment where she was among dozens of other wounded victims. Alexis described feeling grateful and blessed to have made it to the hospital despite the circumstances. Her mother, Tryphena, who is not a nurse but works with Alexis at an Amazon warehouse, was relieved that her daughter survived the attack.
Alexis’s recovery process was made more challenging by Amazon’s initial denial of her request for a leave of absence following the shooting. Despite having a bullet lodged in her leg and requiring therapy, she was expected to return to work shortly after the incident. Following customer complaints and a strike by Amazon workers in support of Alexis, the company reversed its decision and offered her full support, including paid time off to recover. Alexis expressed gratitude for Amazon’s assistance and confirmed that she would take the time off to heal.
During the interview, Tryphena acknowledged the gravity of the situation and expressed her relief that her daughter survived the attack. She expressed sadness for the families of those who lost their loved ones in the tragedy and noted how fortunate they were that Alexis made it through. In the face of such a traumatic event, Alexis and her family have shown resilience and gratitude for the support and care they have received. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of quick thinking, resourcefulness, and compassion in times of crisis.
