Warning: Graphic Content
An American intensive care nurse, Sierra Fairhurst, 23, narrowly escaped death following a traumatic moped accident during her vacation in Thailand. The incident left her with a brain bleed, a fractured collarbone, and multiple shattered teeth.
Fairhurst touched down at Boston Logan International Airport, Massachusetts, on March 27, after spending two weeks in Thailand. As detailed in a GoFundMe page created for her, Fairhurst was involved in a severe moped crash during her trip in the Southeast Asian country.
“Despite the daunting recovery ahead, the outcome could have been much graver. I am profoundly grateful that she is here with us, alive and with her mental faculties intact,” expressed Zoe Rose, Fairhurst’s mother, in the latest update on GoFundMe. “Her facial injuries can be addressed, her wounds will heal, and bones can be mended,” Rose added. “She possesses the strength to conquer these challenges.”
The nurse had rented a moped to explore Thailand, but what was intended as a leisurely ride turned catastrophic. “I remember visiting the elephants and going zip-lining, but beyond that, my memories are fragmented,” Fairhurst shared with Boston 25. “My eye socket was fractured, I nearly lost one eye, and my cheekbones and nose were shattered, now held together with metal.”
Following the crash, Fairhurst received urgent medical care in Krabi on Thailand’s southern west coast and was later transferred to a facility in Bangkok before her return to the United States, as per the GoFundMe account.
Her mother and brother, J, flew to Thailand to support her in the aftermath. The accident resulted in the loss of her identification documents, complicating her repatriation process. “During the chaotic aftermath, as her friends packed her belongings for the transfer to another hospital, all of Sierra’s identification went missing,” Rose explained. “She lacks an ID, social security card, and passport. It is crucial that once stable, she returns to Boston for optimal care and recovery with her family.”
With assistance from the U.S. State Department, Fairhurst received the necessary documentation to fly back home. “Though she’s self-conscious about the facial scars and missing teeth, she survived, and her brain is on the mend. She’s still beautiful,” Rose told Boston 25.
Upon her return, Fairhurst underwent evaluation at a Boston hospital, where it was determined she did not require inpatient treatment. She has since visited a wound clinic and an oral maxillofacial surgeon, and has further appointments scheduled with various specialists, including her primary care provider, neurologist, ocular plastic surgeon, orthopedic surgeon, and cosmetic dentist, as outlined in the GoFundMe page.
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