THE family of a teenage girl injured in a freak equestrian accident on Sunday say they have been overwhelmed by the love and support they’ve received from the Bathurst community.
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Hayley Porter, 17, suffered critical head injuries when she fell from her horse Minnie in between competition events at an equestrian competition at St Stanislaus’ College on Sunday.
An accomplished horsewoman with 10 years’ riding experience, Hayley fell after Minnie sidestepped unexpectedly, throwing her to the ground. The horse then fell on her.
Hayley was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. Her parents, Kevin and Katherine, have been by her bedside at Westmead Hospital.
Mr Porter yesterday commended those who helped Hayley immediately after the fall.
“They were absolutely brilliant,” he said. “There were two nurses on the ground and they were fantastic. They knew exactly what to do.
“The paramedics from Bathurst who helped Hayley were also fantastic.”
Paramedics stabilised Hayley on the ground for around 75 minutes before she was transported via emergency helicopter to Westmead Hospital.
She remains there in an induced coma, giving her brain an opportunity to begin to heal itself.
Mr Porter said Hayley had suffered bruising to the front of her brain due to bleeding caused by the fall.
She underwent surgery to relieve the pressure on her brain and will remain in the induced coma for the time being.
“Basically the brain can start to heal itself when it is doing nothing,” Mr Porter said.
Mr Porter said Hayley was hooked to machines to assist her breathing and she was expected to be kept in the induced coma for one to two weeks.
“It’s hard to say how long, every patient is different,” he said.
Mr Porter said the family had been buoyed by the love and support shown to them since Hayley’s accident.
“We know we’ve got lots of support. People have been praying for her and we’ve had offers for help,” he said.
“We’ve had so much support, if we were here [in hospital] for the next 12 months we’d be okay.
“Hayley is loved by so many people.”
Mr Porter said he and Katherine wanted to thank everyone who had offered to help and those who were keeping Hayley and her family in their prayers.
“MacKillop College [where Hayley and her sister Meghan are both students] have been fantastic, as have Stannies,” he said. “The event was a great event and what happened was just an accident. It’s just one of those things.”
Mr Porter said the only thing that mattered now was Hayley’s recovery and said once she was okay they would be okay.
He said anyone wishing to send well wishes could do so by sending a card.
“There are no flowers allowed in intensive care; so if people want to send well wishes, a card would be nice,” he said.
