‘My body is in pieces after a freak motorcycle accident threw me into the air, bounced me off poles and dumped me in a river’
Zoe Caines was on one of her regular motorcycle rides with her best friend Michelle when she hit a speed bump which caused her bike to wobble. As a seasoned motorcyclist, Zoe said this little blip in a ride would usually lead to a small fall onto the road. Under usual circumstances she would have gotten straight back onto her feet, hopped onto her motorcycle and probably never thought about it again.
WARNING: There are graphic images of injury in this article some people may find upsetting But, unfortunately, that motorcycle ride on Sunday, September 10, turned out to be one she will never be able to forget, for all the wrong reasons. Zoe, 41, from Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen, was riding through Treorchy with her friend Michelle Chamberlain[1], as part of the GS Trophy UK Qualifier[2], an annual motorcycling event which promised two fun-filled days of riding around the beautiful Welsh mountains.
The pair had entered in the novice category and had spent the previous day off-road biking on much more treacherous terrain without coming off their bikes once. Join our WhatsApp news community here[3] for the latest breaking news
In the “freak accident,” Zoe hit a speed bump, struck the railings of a bridge and continued into the river (Image: Zoe Caines)
The damage to Zoe’s bike following the incident (Image: Zoe Caines)
Zoe pictured in better times (Image: Zoe Caines)
DON’T MISS:Woman hospitalised for days claims she was attacked by bloodhounds on a hunt in Wales[5] But tragedy struck when Zoe hit a speed bump on the road the following day and slid and hit the railings of a nearby bridge. “At that moment in time, I just remember being in excruciating pain and the next thing I remember, Michelle called my name and I opened my eyes and I’m in the river, looking at a severed finger that’s hanging on in my glove finger.” In what she described as a “freak accident,” Zoe’s bike had wedged into the railings before speeding up and flipping her in the air.
As she fell back down, she hit multiple poles of the bridge and landed on the pipes which had been installed across the river before falling into the water. “I tried to get out of the water because it was flowing through my helmet and I was nearly drowning. Luckily, I had an adventure helmet so it wasn’t closed.
But then I realised none of my limbs were working. The next thing I remember was my friend pulling me up onto the stones on the side of the river,” said Zoe.
When Zoe fell into the river, water started flowing through her helmet and she feared she would drown (Image: Zoe Caines)
Zoe’s finger was severed in the accident (Image: Zoe Caines)
Zoe’s injuries were life-changing (Image: Zoe Caines)
The fire service was the first of the emergency services to attend the scene, said Zoe. That day, The Tour of Britain was due to pass through Treorchy and Zoe’s accident took place on the Tour route. The cycle race was halted[6] and then followed an alternative route due to the heavy emergency services presence there following Zoe’s accident.
Following the fall, Zoe had a compound fracture in her leg, a broken ankle, had “smashed her kneecap to smithereens,” a broken breastbone, two broken wrists and two broken vertebrae, as well as one severed finger. She was sedated at the scene and airlifted to University Hospital of Wales[7], Cardiff[8], before undergoing two surgeries over two consecutive days, each lasting over eight hours. When she woke up again, she had “a tube down [her] neck” and both arms were hanging from poles, said Zoe.
Zoe has been in hospital for many weeks as she begins her rehabilitation (Image: Zoe Caines)
Zoe said she hopes to be an advocate for disabled, female riders (Image: Zoe Caines)
Zoe is passionate about motorcycling and said she would not let the accident stop her from doing what she loved (Image: Zoe Caines)
The mother-of-four woke up on Wednesday night with her mother and sister at her side and they explained that three days had passed since the accident. “I didn’t know what injuries I had or where I was so it was a very big shock.
I was just grateful to be alive, to see my mother and speak to my children,” she said. It later transpired that Zoe had a brachial plexus injury from the incident and her left arm was completely paralysed. After four weeks, she was moved from Cardiff to Morriston Hospital to see nerve specialists and was later moved to Neath[10] Port Talbot[11] Hospital for rehabilitation and physio.
In total, Zoe has been in hospital for 12 weeks. Her four children include her 12-year old twin daughters Lili and Tiwlip and teenagers Llwyd, 17 and Popi, 15. The proud mum said her priority would always be her children and they had dealt with everything so much better than she ever could have wished for. “I’m just glad when they phone me up and go, ‘Mam, this is what I want for Christmas[12],’ or ‘Mam, where’s my top,’ because it’s normality and I know they’re getting on with their lives.
Obviously they’re upset but they’re living. I’ve always lived as much as I can and travelled. The most I want from them is to carry on living and enjoying their life,” she said.
Zoe’s shows her severed finger following the crash (Image: Zoe Caines)
Zoe is an advocate for female motorcyclists and collaborates with motorcycling brands (Image: Zoe Caines)
Her father built bikes and motorcycling has always been a big part of her life (Image: Zoe Caines)
After learning of her life-changing injuries and finding out more about brachial plexus injuries – which can often occur in severe road traffic accidents and more commonly affect men – Zoe said she was even more determined than she was before to advocate for female riders and those facing similar challenges to her.
“It’s been keeping me going to think, I’ve been given this challenge to shout about it. Speaking to the medical team, there’s not much support for brachial plexus injuries because it is quite a rare injury,” she said. For the latest Welsh news delivered to your inbox sign up to our newsletter[13] The dedicated motorcyclist said she wanted to advocate for disabled riders and share her journey of getting back into riding with others. “I’m never gonna have back what I had but I still want to carry on with my passion.
I’m passionate about being out there and celebrating us female riders which have been a minority. Now, as a female rider who has become disabled, I have to go out and try for all the other women who are going to be faced with this.”
“Now more than ever, I feel obliged to carry on riding to show people that it can be done,” said Zoe (Image: Zoe Caines)
Zoe and her friend Michelle were out on a ride when the accident happened (Image: Zoe Caines)
Zoe is a busy mother of four and said motorcycling has been great for her mental health (Image: Zoe Caines)
As a busy mother of four, Zoe said motorcycling had been her relief and meditation away from daily life and she would not give it up. She explained that motorcycles had been a big part of her life ever since she was a little girl as her father used to build bikes. “I think that it’s a passion and the accident happened through no fault of my own.
It was exactly that – an accident. It could have happened to me crossing the road. With everything that’s happened, now more than ever, I feel obliged to carry on riding to show people that it can be done.
I don’t know how I’m going to get round it but I’m determined to do it.” Michelle, who was with Zoe on the day of the crash, started a fundraising page[14] for her “ride or die” best friend. The fundraiser has raised over GBP6k already to aid Zoe in her “transitional period”.
Michelle wrote: “I’ve started this page to help ease what is going to be an incredibly challenging phase in her life, physically, mentally and financially.
100% of your donations will do towards aiding Zoe in this transitional period.”
References
- ^ Michelle Chamberlain (www.walesonline.co.uk)
- ^ GS Trophy UK Qualifier (www.offroadskills.com)
- ^ Join our WhatsApp news community here (www.walesonline.co.uk)
- ^ ‘The only reason I would get out of bed is to go to the toilet’ (www.walesonline.co.uk)
- ^ Woman hospitalised for days claims she was attacked by bloodhounds on a hunt in Wales (www.walesonline.co.uk)
- ^ The cycle race was halted (www.walesonline.co.uk)
- ^ University Hospital of Wales (www.walesonline.co.uk)
- ^ Cardiff (www.walesonline.co.uk)
- ^ Race organiser leaves trail of fuming customers (www.walesonline.co.uk)
- ^ Neath (www.walesonline.co.uk)
- ^ Port Talbot (www.walesonline.co.uk)
- ^ Christmas (www.walesonline.co.uk)
- ^ For the latest Welsh news delivered to your inbox sign up to our newsletter (www.walesonline.co.uk)
- ^ a fundraising page (www.gofundme.com)