Judo star Stephanie Inglis thanks supporters for saving her life and vows to return to the sport

SCOTTISH judo star Stephanie Inglis has thanked the world for helping to save her life – and vowed to return to the sport she loves.

The Commonwealth Games medallist – who was given just a 1% chance of survival following a horror accident in Vietnam – revealed she could be home in a fortnight.

Speaking for the first time since having brain surgery after a horror bike smash in Vietnam, she thanked friends and family – and thousands of supporters – for aiding her amazing recovery.

Stephanie, 27, said: “If it hadn’t been for them, there is a big chance I wouldn’t be here today.”

She was on life support after suffering a serious head injury and fracturing her neck in two places as she was dragged along by a motorbike taxi when her dress got caught in its wheel.

Her parents Robert and Alison were told to expect the worst after a desperate flight to their daughter’s hospital bedside in Vietnam.

Initially, doctors put Stephanie into a coma. She had a tracheotomy to allow her to breathe and was unable to communicate for more than a month.

To compound her injuries, she also contracted pneumonia, septicaemia and deep vein thrombosis while in hospital in Vietnam.

Critically-ill Stephanie was then moved to Bangkok in Thailand, before being flown back to the UK and transferred to the intensive care unit at Edinburgh’s Western General Hospital.

Stephanie said: “I don’t remember anything of the accident. The first thing I knew was waking up in Edinburgh with my parents there, telling me everything that had happened to me.

“Everything took a wee bit of time to get my head around.

“It was quite a scary time.”

But in an incredible show of determination, Stephanie has regained her speech, is able to walk short distances and has enjoyed some time-out from the clinic with her family.

She even managed to make a trip to Nando’s for her sister Stacey’s birthday.

She said: “I had been desperate for a Nando’s – it’s one of my favourites – and I’d been going on about it all the time.

“Stacey said to me, ‘let’s go out for my birthday’, and she chose Nando’s as she knows how much I love it. That was really nice of her.”

Stephanie is continuing her recovery at Cameron Hospital, near Leven, Fife.

“I’m feeling good – nearly back to normal,” said the judo star.

“My therapy sessions are going really well and I’m just waiting on an update about when I can get home properly. Hopefully, it will be in the next couple of weeks.”

An occupational therapist has been teaching her simple tasks, while a physiotherapist has been helping Stephanie walk up stairs. Now she has her sights set on returning to her
parents’ home in Daviot in the Highlands – and continuing her judo training.

“The goal is to return to how I was,” said Stephanie, who won silver at the Glasgow 2014 Games.

“Judo was my normal life and I want it to be again.

“I don’t know how far I can take it but I want to return to fitness training as I can’t imagine life without it.”

Generous members of the Judo community from across the UK donated to a £300,000 fund set up by Stephanie’s close pal and fellow judo competitor, Khalid Gehlan, to get her back to Britain.

His mum Tracy, of Alloa, and Stacey, 26, have been instrumental in attracting donations from across the globe.

They were forced to take drastic action after her insurance company refused to pay out because she’d been in Vietnam too long.

Stephanie said: “I don’t even know how to thank everyone. If it hadn’t been for them, there’s a big chance I wouldn’t be here today.”

The Team GB athlete – who had been teaching primary school children at schools in Vietnam prior to the accident – is keen to return to her charity work. Before heading overseas, she worked with the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust as an athlete mentor to underprivileged youngsters.

She was also an inspirational role model for Scots school children as part of the Champions in Schools programme.

Stephanie said: “They are both really worthwhile causes. There are quite a few of the Great Britain athletes taking part to help motivate young people. I think it is important we try to do that.”

Mum Alison is delighted her daughter is on the road to recovery. She said: “As a family we have been through so much and as a parent I’m still coming to terms with the nightmare we found ourselves living in. Rob, Stacey and myself are eternally grateful to everyone who helped bring Stephanie home alive.

“Without all the awareness, donations and fundraising, we know it would have been a very different outcome. We thank you all so very much from the bottom of our hearts.”

She added: “Steph got back home to Scotland on June 13.

“If anyone had said within one month she would have been walking, talking and texting on her phone I would have thought they were living on another planet.

“We are amazed at the rate she has progressed – it is just staggering. She can’t wait to get out of hospital and come home where she will continue her rehab.”