She was struck by the rollercoaster in a ‘tragic accident’ two months ago.
A woman who was left in a coma after being hit by a rollercoaster has finally woken up, but is now trapped in her own body and unable to talk, her family say.
On September 25 this year, Shylah Rodden was at the Melbourne Royal Show in Australia when it’s believed she walked onto the track of a rollercoaster to retrieve a dropped phone.
The 26-year-old suffered “horrific” injuries when she was hit by a Rebel Coaster carriage and dragged upwards before falling from a height of around nine meters.
She suffered extensive injuries to her head, pelvis, arms, legs and back, and was placed in a medically induced coma on her arrival at Royal Melbourne Hospital.
Earlier this week, hospital staff confirmed to the Daily Mail that Shylah has since woken up from the coma after two months and that her condition is stable.
But her family are still concerned for her and warn that she has a long road to recovery ahead.
Speaking to the publication, they said: “She had suffered a severe traumatic brain injury so if that’s what people think is stable they are wrong.
“Just because she’s awake doesn’t mean she’s stable.”
She added that Shylah is currently unable to communicate.
Shortly after the accident, her dad Alan spoke to the Daily Mail about her injuries.
“The injuries are horrific. Horrific. She’s brain damaged. It’s pelvic, her arms, legs, back, neck – there’s hardly a thing that’s not broken,” he said.
A GoFundMe has since been set up by a friend of the family, Sylvia Dess, to help cover the costs of Shylah’s recovery.
The page has raised $19,600 of its $20,000 goal.
The CEO of the Melbourne Royal Show, Brad Jenkins, labelled the incident at the show as a “tragic accident.”
“From our understanding, there was a mobile phone at the base of the Rebel Coaster that she dropped on the ride and she went back to recover the mobile phone,” he said.
“Regrettably, she was tragically struck by the cart coming down.
“It is an extreme rollercoaster which is a lot of fun generally, but this was a tragic accident that shouldn’t have happened.”
He added that the rollercoaster had not malfunctioned and the operator of the ride was experienced, reassuring the public that the rides at the show are “entirely safe.”
