Holiday crash changed my life
We are now investigating the cause of the crash which has left Tracie with very severe injuries. Philip Banks
IT was a fun adventure on the holiday of a lifetime that ended a life-changing catastrophe.
Fun-loving Tracie Harrison, from Blyth, Northumberland, was on a two-week break on the Greek island of Zante when she went on a quad bike with a pal.
But the bike flipped over and the 52-year-old suffered devastating injuries.
The grandmother-of-two was left in a coma and suffered multiple injuries which left her with: a broken pelvis; fractured cheekbone; fractured back; fractured left arm; left eye palsy; and a severe brain injury Tracie, who is grandmother to Cameron and Evie, said: “Over the year I’ve spent 90% of it in hospital.
“The first thing I remember is Walkergate Hospital. The nurses were so lovely and the physio helped loads – that was about October/November last year.”
Since the crash in June last year, Tracie hasn’t been able to return to the life she knew before and requires daily care.
She was unable to return to her job as a child welfare officer and has had to sell her house and move into a flat as a result of her injuries.
“I love this flat,” she said. “I used to have a house 10 minutes away but the stairs were too much. This is much nicer.”
After the crash on June 4, Tracie’s daughter Rachael Beattie, 31, flew out to Zante to be by her mother’s bedside.
Tracie was airlifted to a hospital on the Greek mainland, but medical costs rocketed and the family faced a huge bill after the insurance company refused to pay out, saying it didn’t cover quad bike accidents.
She was flown back to the UK on June 30 by a specially equipped air ambulance, which cost thousands of pounds.
The family began fundraising online to cover the bills, and Tracie’s mum, Terri, 69, ended up in debt as she recovered the treatment costs.
Rachael, who gave up her job in mental health to care for her mum, said the accident has had a devastating impact on their family.
“We don’t have a mother/ daughter relationship any more,” Rachael said. “I have to make sure she has food, sort out her bills and help make sure she gets access to the support she needs.
“There could be a call in the night if she is unwell. I’m on call 24/7.”
She added: “Life is not the same.”
The family is now warning others about the dangers of quad bikes.
“Don’t do it because it is not safe,” Rachael said. “The roads are not in good condition, the roads have potholes and driving on them is horrendous.”
Now, Tracie has instructed specialist international personal injury lawyers Irwin Mitchell to investigate the accident and to secure funds to help with her recovery and care.
Philip Banks, representing Tracie, said: “The crash has left Tracie with very severe injuries.
“We are now investigating the cause of the crash as we seek to help support Tracie through her recovery and ensure she has access to the best possible care, medical treatment and therapy.”