A young British woman is in critical condition after a serious skiing accident overseas.
Olivia Corbiere, 23, fell around 15ft from a ski path into a ravine in Bansko, and was put into an induced coma on Tuesday. Bulgaria, on Sunday.
Her friends rescued her from the water and took her to the hospital in Sofia.
Surgeons spent four hours removing part of her skull to reduce brain bleeding, and she remains in critical condition.
Her devastated mother, Linzi, was told by surgeons that her daughter's head injury was unprecedented.
In addition to a fractured skull, Olivia, a kitchen designer from Aston, near Rotherham, South Yorkshire, also suffered three fractured vertebrae, a broken pelvis, broken eye socket, and broken nose in the fall.
Speaking from a hotel in Sofia, Linzi, 46, said that the surgeon was astonished by the severity of Olivia's head injury.
‘The next few hours are crucial and they’re going to wake her up tomorrow.
‘They’re very strict in Bulgaria and we’re not able to sit by the bed or visit.
‘But they did allow me to and see her yesterday and I was able to speak to her and reassure her that we’re here for her.
‘Her eyelashes flickered, so I know she heard me.’
Olivia, who recently celebrated her birthday, traveled to the Chalin Valog resort with a group of friends, including her 19-year-old sister Phoebe, on Friday.
Unfortunately, disaster struck on Sunday when she veered off the ski path and fell into a ravine, despite being experienced at skiing.
She was taken to the hospital, prompting her worried mother Linzi, who works as a train dispatcher for East Midlands Railway, to fly to the country on Monday morning.
Her husband Seb, 51, who also works for the same company, joined her last night.
Her younger brother, Morgan, 22, is expected to fly out later as well.
Linzi stated, ‘They confirmed that she is not paralysed because she was moving her limbs too much. This is why they decided to put her in an induced coma.
‘We just have to wait and see if they'll allow me to be there when they wake her up tomorrow.
‘I arrived yesterday morning and my husband came last night.
‘The girls have been extremely supportive, doing the shopping for us and ensuring that we have everything we need.
‘We just packed a few items in a suitcase and flew out, unsure of what to bring.
‘I'm currently in a hotel, needing a translator's assistance, and we need to translate all the medical records into English for the insurance company.'
A fundraising appeal has been launched to help Linzi and her family cover the costs of travel, accommodation and other expenses.
Over £13,000 has been given since the appeal started on Monday, but more support is needed to help Olivia recover.
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