22-year-old Lucie Maguire was involved in a horrific tractor crash in January 2021 that left her with life-changing injuries.
Harrogate district woman hospitalised by horror tractor crash shares her story A Harrogate district woman has shared her story after a horrific tractor crash left her with life-changing injuries - and explains why she is backing a trauma support Christmas appeal. 22-year-old Lucie Maguire of Kirkby Malzeard was hit by a 10-tonne trailer in January 2021. She had been travelling between Ripley and Bishop Thornton with her mum, Sue, when the pair pulled over at around 5pm. 19-years-old at the time, Lucie had got out of the car to help her mum from the driver’s seat. She then recalled seeing “bright headlights” before she was struck by a tractor. Lucie was dragged along the road under the 10-tonne vehicle, resulting in horrific life-changing injuries including the amputation of her right leg. [caption id="attachment_86935" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Lucie Maguire in hospital alongside her mum Sue.[/caption] She spent 518 days in Specialist Trauma Hospital in Leeds before learning how to walk on one leg and how to live independently using a power-assisted wheelchair. And this Christmas, Lucie is sharing her story as part of Day One Trauma Support’s Christmas Appeal - the charity that was there for her and her family. Speaking about the crash, Lucie said:
“I remember not feeling in pain. My right leg just felt uncomfortable. I wanted someone to straighten it for me as I couldn’t. “I told my parents how much I loved them. I accepted I was probably going to die because surely nobody survives what I’d just been through. “When I woke up a month later in the intensive care unit I could see my mum at the foot of my bed and my dad was stroking my hair. I couldn’t talk, I struggled to breathe, and I was in so much pain."She added:
“I had no idea about the severity of my injuries. It was a few days before they told me I had no right leg. They had to amputate. “The right side of my pelvis was gone too and I had open wounds. I had a lot of internal damage. A lot of my internal organs no longer worked. “The only way the doctor could explain my injuries was to compare me to someone who had been blown up in Afghanistan.”See Lucie’s full story here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mF4nlRbMn2s Throughout her stay at LGI, including during Christmas 2021, Lucie and her mum Sue were supported by Day One Trauma Support – a charity set up to help families affected by catastrophic injuries. Day One Trauma Support, along with psychologists and staff at LGI, gave Lucie and Sue hope for the future and provided the emotional and practical support they needed to readjust to their new life. Now Lucie, who uses a power-assisted wheelchair and lives in her own bungalow in Kirkby Malzeard, is raising awareness of the long recovery journey people face after major traumatic injuries. She’s supporting Day One’s Christmas Appeal so it can help even more people who face life-changing injuries over the coming months. She said:
“Day One Trauma Support was amazing. I feel like they saved my life. They were one of my constants, providing that emotional support that the busy NHS staff just don’t have the time to give. They were with me at the start and they’ve been with me ever since. “The emotional support my mum and I received from Day One was massive. Someone to talk to. Someone to offload to. Someone who doesn’t judge and knows the bad days will get better."Lucie added:
“I had no idea how I was going to live and pay for things outside of hospital if I wasn’t working. “I had never thought about benefits as I’m a young woman and expected to work all my life. I didn’t know how it all worked and what I needed to put in place when I left hospital. “I remember speaking to someone from Day One about what I was entitled to, which was a massive relief for me as I wouldn’t have known where to start.”[caption id="attachment_86936" align="aligncenter" width="720"] Lucie Maguire and her family outside the hospital.[/caption] Donations made to the charity before 3rd January 2024 are set to be doubled thanks to match funding by Aviva Community Fund. Samantha Monkman, Major Trauma Ward Manager at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said:
“All the staff involved with Lucie’s care are delighted she’s made such an amazing recovery and is working towards living independently at home. “Lucie was our longest serving patient on the trauma ward and we became like family as we worked through all the challenges she faced together. “It was the first time many of us had cared for a patient with the extent of injuries Lucie had, but by learning and working together across Leeds Teaching Hospitals, and the NHS, we were able to give Lucie the best possible chance of recovery.”Lucy Nickson, CEO of Day One Trauma Support, said:
“People are struggling financially during a cost-of-living crisis, and the impact is only compounded when a family member suffers a sudden catastrophic injury and faces a long recovery journey, often with a disability and reduced income. “Our caseworkers are seeing the reality of this every day in the Major Trauma Centres we operate and through our national support service."Lucy added:
“Lucie’s story of recovery is truly inspiring and we’re so grateful that she has shared her story to support our cause. “Together we can ensure no one is left to rebuild their life on their own this Christmas.”Find out more and donate to Day One Trauma Support here. Read more local stories from Your Harrogate here.
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