Serious Injury During Dream Trip
A student suffered a severe brain injury in a scooter accident at the conclusion of her trip around India, leaving her in a coma and unable to recall her own name.
While Olivia North, 21, remained unconscious, her family prepared to welcome her upon her return to the UK. However, after two days without contact, her father Nic urgently contacted hostels she had stayed at, eventually locating her in the intensive care unit of a hospital in Goa.
Initially, Olivia was unable to remember some family members or her own name, but a month after the crash on 5 May, she is preparing to fly back to Wales to continue her recovery.
"When I couldn't get hold of her, on the other side of the world, I was frantically trying to contact anyone who ever knew her. Then flying out with my stomach in knots, not knowing if she would recognise me. It was so good to see her alive and hold her."
Despite still experiencing profound fatigue and limited mobility—being able to walk only about 100 metres before needing to rest—doctors have cleared Olivia to travel back to the UK later this week.
Olivia had completed her second year studying Media and Communications at Goldsmiths, University of London, before taking a break prior to her final year. After saving money through work in bars and restaurants, she embarked on her journey to India shortly after Christmas.
Her travels took her to various locations including Rishikesh in northern India, the temple towns of Pushkar and Hampi, and Mumbai, the country's largest city. She then chose to relax on Goa's beaches before her planned return home.
"The night before she was going to travel back, we were all getting ready to meet her in London, and she went for dinner with friends,"Nic said.
He explained that Olivia was returning to her accommodation on a scooter when she suffered a head injury after hitting the road or a wall, rendering her unconscious.
"She wasn't wearing a helmet - absolutely idiotic. If something comes from this, I want every kid on a gap year to wear a helmet. It's non-negotiable, it's a fight for survival on those roads, scooters jostling everywhere."
This incident marked the last contact with Olivia's family. Nic described his panic as he contacted friends and places she had visited in Goa, seeking any information about her whereabouts and condition.
He eventually located the hostel where Olivia had been staying in the Arambol area. The owner confirmed she had been involved in an accident and was admitted to a hospital in south Goa shortly after midnight on 5 May.
Nic made numerous calls fearing the worst before finding the hospital where Olivia was receiving treatment.
"They said she was in a coma, and put me through to the ITU [intensive care] ward. Olivia had been in a coma and treated there for 36 hours,"he said.
"She was starting to regain consciousness before falling back into a coma again. She had a bleed on her brain measuring 3.6mm - that was the scary bit. They told me if that didn't dissolve, they'd have to drill into her skull, and they'd make that call in two days."
Nic and Olivia's sister Beatrice, 19, flew to India on the earliest flight possible, uncertain of the condition they would find her in. Fortunately, medication reduced the brain bleed, and surgery was not required.
"When we got there on the Saturday, four days after, she didn't know her own name,"Nic recalled.
"But she recognised us, and we had a very tearful cuddle for a very long time."
Olivia sustained extensive bruising, and MRI scans revealed a serious injury to the left temporal lobe, responsible for memory storage, as well as damage to the cerebellum, which controls balance and orientation.
While she recognized her father and sister, she confused her brother Sam for her uncle and had no memory of her dog Raj, who had passed away just before Christmas.
"She couldn't remember where she grew up, near Cardigan, where she went to school, teachers, it was heartbreaking,"Nic said.
"It will likely come back. The last week or so, it has started coming back. On her side is she is young, and incredibly tough."
Although Olivia was not yet fit for discharge, Nic observed that other patients with more severe injuries were also receiving intensive care.
"The hospital absolutely saved her life, it was in the balance initially,"he said.
"I would always be grateful."
Nic's knowledge of Olivia's condition was initially limited to information found through online searches. He arranged for her to stay at a hotel in Goa, where she has been receiving ongoing treatment and medication from a private medical facility.
After being discharged, Olivia collapsed due to dehydration and was readmitted to the hospital. However, she has shown steady improvement week by week, gradually regaining memory and the ability to perform simple tasks such as using a mobile phone.
"The journey will be the equivalent to running a marathon - getting out of bed and into an armchair is so tiring,"Nic said.
"She has no memory of any of what happened, just the last few days she's started remembering what happened yesterday."
According to Olivia's neurologist, such memory loss is common with brain injuries. Initially, there were concerns that cabin pressure during flight could cause complications, but Olivia has now been cleared to fly home.
Nic looks forward to Olivia returning to her own bedroom, hoping that the familiar environment and care from the Welsh NHS will support her recovery.
Although Olivia had travel insurance, the absence of a helmet at the time of the crash has prevented her from making a claim. The cost of private healthcare and repatriation is approximately £20,000, but friends and family have raised nearly £12,000 to assist.
Olivia is gradually recalling more aspects of her life in the UK, though some questions remain challenging.
"Memories are starting to come back,"Nic said.
"I asked 'who is the prime minister?' She looked at me blankly and said 'I probably wouldn't have known that before the accident'."
