Umbrella stake just barely missed her artery, NJ lifeguard says

😲 Lifeguard had a six-foot umbrella stake removed from her body

😲 Reacted to the injury like a frosty Disney character

😲 She'll be back to work later this summer

ASBURY PARK — A female lifeguard at the Jersey Shore who was impaled by a beach umbrella says the stake narrowly missed a major artery.

The 18-year-old lifeguard at Asbury Park beach, who only identified herself as Alex to ABC 7 Eyewitness News, says she's lucky to be alive.

It happened at the 3rd Avenue beach around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, officials said.

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Asbury Park Beach Safety Supervisor Joe Bongiovanni said she went for surgery after the horrific incident.

Bongiovanni explained what happened as Alex tried to set up the umbrella at the lifeguard stand.

"While she was setting it in, a gust of wind came and pulled it out of her hand. And as it was going out, she reached out to grab it again. When she grabbed it, it pulled her off the bench with the umbrella," Bongiovanni said.

She landed on top of the six-foot-long umbrella stake and it went through her upper left arm. Around 12 inches of the stake were coming out the other side.

Firefighters cut the stake to make it easier for transport and surgery, according to Asbury Park Fire Chief Kevin Keddy.

Alex said to ABC7 that the pole missed her artery by just a centimeter. She said it could have been much worse if the stake had hit something important.

The rising college sophomore remained calm through the entire experience.

"I was kind of a little freaked out at first and my brain got heavy because I was like, 'oh my gosh, I've been impaled,'" Alex said, echoing Frozen snowman Olaf.

"She's one tough young woman," Keddy said to New Jersey 101.5.

Lifeguard impaled by umbrella wants to go back to work

Alex said she won't let her near-death experience keep her away from the Jersey Shore.

The lifeguard was disappointed that she had to wait six weeks before returning to work, ABC7 reported.

Even if she can't yet do the job, Alex plans to visit her fellow lifeguards at the beach soon.

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