Judo star defies docs’ expectations

The brave Commonwealth Games medallist – who has stunned medics with her amazing recovery – was well enough to visit the fantasy resort in Florida earlier this month.

Her holiday came less than five months after the horrific crash in Vietnam, which happened when her skirt became caught in the wheel of a motorcycle taxi.

Stephanie, 27, was joined by her mum and dad, Alison and Robert, her sister Stacey, 26, and seven other members of their family – including granddad Tom, 90 – on the trip of a lifetime to the US.

“It was fantastic,” said Stephanie, of Daviot, Aberdeenshire. “We weren’t sure if I was going to make it because originally, I was supposed to be going in June but then I had the accident.

“It was a dream come true to finally get there!”

After reading about Stephanie’s accident, tour company DialAFlight, agreed to re-arrange flights to Florida at no extra cost.

Doctors gave Stephanie the green light to go and her family, including one-year-old second cousin Hope, spent a fortnight enjoying the Disney resort.

Stephanie said: “It was so much fun. We did all the Disney parks and saw all the parades and firework shows at night and in the day we had a relaxing rest by the pool.

“Then we saw Frozen characters, Elsa and Anna, and you can’t go to Disney without seeing Mickey and the gang.”

She added: “It was fantastic watching the new Frozen sing-a-long show – my grandad was loving it. He was belting out all the songs!”

Fighter Stephanie has made great strides since she was given just a 1% chance of survival after being dragged along the road in the accident in May.

The tough athlete, who won silver at the 2014 games in Glasgow, was put into an induced coma due to her severe brain injuries.

Despite Stephanie being in a critical condition, her insurance company refused to pay for her medical care.

Family, friends and well-wishers were left to raise more than £300,000 to bring her back to Scotland in a specialist air ambulance.

She is now continuing her rehabilitation at home with her parents Robert, 54, and Alison, 52, while awaiting an operation on her skull.

Stephanie revealed that she has even taken her first tentative steps back on to the judo mat at her dad’s Highland Budokan club.

She said: “I think the holiday was great for my improvement.

“When I came back I was feeling a lot fitter.

“Now I’m back in the gym and the swimming pool and I was even allowed on the judo mat last week.

“It was very light judo – no throwing – but it was just good to be back.”