A woman who was left with devastating and life-changing injuries after being hit by a speeding roller coaster is on the road to recovery.
Shylah Rodden, the resilient survivor who endured a catastrophic encounter with a rollercoaster at the Melbourne Royal Show, is "defying the odds" and exhibiting substantial progress in her recovery journey. The incident, which transpired in September 2022, left Rodden essentially "trapped in her own body", according to her loved ones.
Rodden, aged 26 at the time of the collision, was attempting to retrieve her cell phone from the tracks of the Rebel Coaster ride after inadvertently dropping it during the ride. Tragically, the rollercoaster - traveling at an estimated speed of 70km/h - collided with her, throwing her nine meters into the air before she plummeted back to the ground in view of horrified onlookers.
The incident left Rodden with grievous, life-altering injuries, impacting nearly every part of her body. The immediate days saw her clinging to life in a critical condition, and the extent of her injuries left medical professionals shocked.
"Even the doctors have said they haven't seen anything as bad as this for a long time," recounted Alan Rodden, Shylah’s father, in conversations with Daily Mail Australia.
Alan depicted the injuries as “horrific”, detailing extensive damage to her brain, pelvis, arms, legs, back, and neck. "She's going to be in a coma for quite a while," he sorrowfully stated soon after the accident.
A year after the horrendous event, and the road to recovery is far from completion, with years of rehabilitation looming due to the severe brain injury. However, Shylah Rodden’s commendable progress has sparked hope.
Rodden’s mother, Kylie, expressed immense gratitude for her daughter's recovery, noting in a statement via the family's attorney: "She has defied the odds and is now walking, talking, and doing things that we were told by doctors, may not be possible."
Per 9News, Kylie aims to redirect the narrative from the tragic incident to her daughter's remarkable recovery and relentless spirit. "Our wish is to keep moving forward and to enable Shylah to continue with her recovery and focus on the incredible progress that she's making," she said, hoping to cease negative comments and let Shylah focus on healing.
The family’s lawyer Sharlene Mehta from Arnold Thomas Becker, mentioned that the family is still waiting on the outcomes of the ongoing Work Safe investigations into the accident.
"The accident has had far-reaching impacts on Shylah and her family, so the outcomes of these investigations are eagerly awaited," the lawyer said.
The family remains hopeful that shedding light on Shylah's ongoing battle and extraordinary progress will inspire many and usher in unwavering support for her continuous healing journey.