http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/familys-anguish-student-gladys-ooi-7010592Family's anguish of student hit by car day before she was due to start university.
19-year-ol Gladys Ooi suffered serious brain injuries after she was hit by a blue Mercedes last September
Gladys Ooi, 19, suffered serious brain injuries after being struck as she stepped out of a Silver or Grey Hackney Cab opposite her halls of residence on Elmswood Road, Liverpool, at about 11.30pm on Monday 16 September, last year.
The parents of a student seriously injured in a crash the day before she was due to start university said they feared she wouldn’t survive.
Gladys Ooi, 19, who had come from Hong Kong to study law at the University of Liverpool , suffered serious brain injuries after she was hit by a blue Mercedes after stepping out of a grey or silver Hackney cab opposite her halls of residence on Elmswood Road at about 11.30pm on Monday, September 16 last year – the day before she was due to start her course.
The crash left her with a broken leg and collar bone, fractured her skull and caused life-threatening brain injuries.
Mum Felicia and dad BG Ooi travelled from their home in Hong Kong to be by her bedside.
Gladys Ooi, 19, suffered serious brain injuries after being struck as she stepped out of a Silver or Grey Hackney Cab opposite her halls of residence on Elmswood Road, Liverpool, at about 11.30pm on Monday 16 September, last year.
Mr Ooi, 46, said: “We caught the next flight to England, but the 15 hours on the plane were the longest times we had ever endured.
“We were frightened to put our phones on just in case we got a message telling us Gladys had not made it at the ICU.
“We really thought she might not survive her injuries.”
Gladys was in a coma for two weeks before she began to respond to doctors.
After five weeks in intensive care in The Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery, she uttered her first words.
She then attended The Walton Neurorehabilitation Unit before moving to Mossley Hill Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre.
Mrs Ooi, 44, has spent every day since the accident at her daughter’s bedside.
Six months after the accident she flew back to Hong Kong where she is continuing her rehabilitation.
Now the family are appealing for information on the crash from anyone who might have witnessed it.
Mr Ooi added: “Not only has this had a devastating affect on Gladys, it has also been particularly hard on Gladys’ mother who has been by her side since the accident.
“She has had to get used to being so far from home and away from our other daughter.
“It’s too early to know exactly what long-term damage has been done. Gladys has made some recovery, but she has a very long journey of recovery ahead of her. We do not know if she will ever fully recover.”
Her family are now pursuing a civil claim on her behalf against the driver of the car which hit her.
Principal lawyer Carol Hopwood, from the Liverpool office of Slater & Gordon, said: “We are keen to hear from anyone who was in the area of Elmswood Road on Monday, September 16, around 11.30pm and saw a blue C200 Mercedes.
“In particular we are keen to hear from anyone who witnessed the accident, the immediate aftermath or events leading up to the collision.
“We understand that there were a number of buses and taxis in the vicinity and would ask any drivers in the locality that evening to get in touch.”
Anyone with information should contact Carol Hopwood on 0151 257 6004 or
chopwood@slatergordon.co.uk.
Login
Register
FAQ
