Mundoolun crash: Cedar Grove woman Kirsty Batson opens her eyes for first time

A Cedar Grove trackwork rider has opened her eyes for the first time after her car collided with a minibus in a horror accident between Jimboomba and Tamborine.

Kirsty Batson, the young Cedar Grove trackwork rider who suffered horrific injuries in a crash between a car and bus, has opened her eyes for the first time in hospital.

The 23-year-old has spent the past week fighting for her life, awaiting brain surgery, after her car collided head on with a minibus between Jimboomba and Tamborine on Sunday morning.

Miss Batson’s mother, retired jockey Sheree Drake, said her daughter suffered bleeding on her brain, a traumatic head injury, a fractured neck, a broken foot, two broken ankles, two broken toes, a fractured hip, and a dislocated hip.

Kirsty Batson is awaiting brain surgery in Princess Alexandra Hospital. Photo: contributed.

Ms Drake said her daughter was a fighter.

“She opened her eyes and looked up and around for the first time Thursday afternoon,” she said.

“She moved her head and even tried to pull her tubes out which is a good sign. But of course she had to be sedated again because she needs to rest and recover and she needs those tubes.”

Despite having to be put back into her induced coma, Ms Drake said this is proof she was fighting for her life.

“It was heart wrenching but also exciting seeing her open eyes for the first time,” she said.

“I honestly can’t describe it.

“Physical pain is one thing but this is something else. Broken bones heal you know? But a broken heart is something else entirely.

“Seeing my daughter like this is something I’ve never felt before … we just can’t lose her.”

To support the prominent equestrian’s recovery, her best friend Danielle Borody has set up a Go Fund Me page.

Danielle Borody says she will be supporting her best friend, Kirsty Watson, through her recovery.

The page had already raised more than $11,000 in its first 24 hours, and can be accessed here.

Through tears, Miss Borody said she was devastated by her best friend’s accident.

“It just doesn’t seem fair and is so hard to see her like this,” Miss Borody said.

“We’ve got to have hope though. She’s a real fighter. She’s got a fighting spirit, and I think we’re starting to see that with her waking up and trying to take all of her tubes out.”

Miss Borody said although her and Miss Watson have only been close for less than a year, she’s made a real impact on her life.

Danielle Borody said she and Kirsty Batson connected through their love of horses.

“We both ride horses and that’s kind of how we connected,” she said.

“But we got really close after I was in a pretty bad car accident myself at the start of the year.

“She was my only friend when I needed a friend.

“She was there for me, she came to my house, helped me with my animals, my horse, came to horse competitions with me, and just helped me out when I couldn’t do much.”

According to Miss Borody, her friend was her main emotional support after her car accident.

“She was there for me with the emotional side and helped me work through all of my emotions and we became very close very fast,” she said.

Kirsty Batson has been surrounded by friends and family while she recovers in hospital.

“I felt so alone and isolated … people who I thought were my friends weren’t there for me.

“I was going through depression and anxiety … I was scared to leave my house and drive but because of Kirsty I wasn’t alone. She drove me everywhere until I got back on my feet.

“I couldn’t have gotten through my accident without her and now I get to be there for her, after hers, every step of the way.”