The Accident

Kelly’s 2009 season goal was to qualify for Ironman World Championship 2010 at Ironman Florida 2009. We decided to include the ExtremeMan Triathlon, Hungary, an Ironman distance race in preparation for Ironman Florida. We also planned to visit my hometown Belgrade, Serbia.

On Kelly’s third day in Belgrade, Sunday August 9th 2009, we planned to do the last specific brick training for ExtremeMan Triathlon. We went to one local road “Stari Obrenovacki Put” which is the safest road for biking in Belgrade. The plan was to do 3h30min of bike and 1h of run at specific pace/intensity. On bike we did 25km (15.5mi) loops – out and back. At the beginning we were together but since I’m stronger on bike Kelly started to drop. I was waiting for her a couple of times but at one point Kelly told me to keep my pace and not to wait for her. Anyway, I wanted to wait for her, but she insisted I continue at my own pace which I did.
As time passed by, the distance between us was getting longer and longer, but we were seeing each other while passing from opposite directions. So, I was expecting to see Kelly at certain points on every 25km loop. After about 3h on bike I didn’t see Kelly where I was expecting to see her. My first thought was – OK, she has a flat tire and she is waiting for me to help her. Then at some point about 500m/yds away from me I saw some cars at the middle of the road standing still, and I saw some people around the cars. Oh my God…No, this is not Kelly – I was thinking. It must be some car accident.

As I was approaching I was trying to see more. I saw one car on left side of the road oriented in the same direction as I was. That car was in the accident. When I was 20m/yds away I saw Kelly’s Cervelo P3C laying on the right side of the road. I learned it was Kelly in the accident. I stopped.

Even now while I’m writing this I feel such strong pain all over my body…

When I approached to the exact spot of the accident I saw Kelly lying on the road. Her blood was around her, and she already was in coma. I saw a big crack on frontal part of her forehead bleeding. I saw her left leg broken below the knee with dislocated shin-bone. I saw traces of her blood and traces of her hair on broken windshield of the car that hit her. I saw lots of very deep cuts and grazes which indicated more serious injuries. She was breathing deeply which was a good sign – if anything can be good in this kind of situation. I tried to speak to her but since she already was in coma she didn’t respond. Oh, I could have died at that moment……. In that moment I was having a panic attack but then I thought – Boki you have to help Kelly. That was the only thing that kept me from falling apart.

I shouted out – please, somebody call an ambulance! Then I learned that somebody already called the ambulance. I was trying to set Kelly in best position on her side – not to choke from bleeding but yet not to make more damage on her leg or other injured parts of her body. Every minute while we were waiting for the ambulance to come lasted like a whole year. I asked a million questions to my self – why, why, why…After 35 plus minutes the ambulance came. I helped paramedics put Kelly in the ambulance and then the paramedics told me that there was no space for me in the ambulance. I asked them in which hospital Kelly will be transported, grabbed my bike and went to my car which was parked 3km (2mi) from the accident.

Driving to the hospital was like being in some kind of a trance. I had a million thoughts and I felt pain all over my body. Pain like I never felt before. But all the time I was telling to myself – Kelly is a strong woman. She will pull through.

Later I found out about all Kelly’s injuries:

- skull fracture

- brain contusion with hematoma

- lower leg fracture (left) – both bones

- 4 broken ribs

- rib cage contusion

- left hand fracture

- a big tissue tear on her right upper arm

- a big tissue tear on her left upper leg

- a lots of cuts and bruises all over the body

In the first 14 days while she was in intensive care unit we fought for her life. During the first 46 days she was not herself – she couldn’t remember anything and she was not aware of what happened. In that period, every time when she was waking up, even when she was taking just a 5 minute nap, she couldn’t remember what happened and she was going through hell all over again.

So far she had two leg surgeries and her leg is healing. Kelly’s body absorbed the hematoma. Her ribs and hand are healing. Soft tissue injuries are healed. Kelly’s memory is coming back step by step. Every day is a continuing journey.

While I’m writing this Kelly has been in  the hospital for 62 days.

Based on her head injuries, and leg healing recovery state, she must stay in the hospital at least 2-3 weeks more before she is able to continue with her recovery in the SPA.

In front of her is a long way to recovery but knowing Kelly she will be back 100%. It’s just a matter of time and patience.

This is the toughest “Ironman” for Kelly and I so far.

Boki

Kelly’s proud fiancé and her coach