Geelong mum in induced coma after horror Bali crash

Support has continued to pour in for a Geelong mum who this week woke from an induced coma after being knocked off her scooter while holidaying in Bali. LATEST DETAILS.

SUPPORT has continued to pour in for a Geelong mum who this week woke from an induced coma after being knocked off her scooter while holidaying in Bali.

With a crowd-funding campaign raising more than $140,000 as of Tuesday, well wishers have continued to post messages of support for Peta Richards, who suffered severe head injuries, including bleeding on the brain, a fractured skull and extensive brain swelling when she came off her moped on April 1.

Part of her skull was removed relieve pressure from swelling and she was later flown to Melbourne on evacuation flight, but had remained in a coma at the Alfred.

Friend Rachel Berben said on Sunday that Ms Richards had been transferred from the ICU to a ward.

“She is currently awake and making small steps day by day. She will require some further surgeries in the coming weeks,” Ms Berben said.

Matt, Sonny, 4, Alfie, 3, and mum Peta Richards. Picture: Supplied

“From here she will then progress onto intensive neuro rehabilitation to begin her journey forward.”

A fundraising campaign to help Ms Richards’ husband Matt and children Sonny, 4, and Alfie, 3, has raised more than $140,000.

“We wanted to thank you all so-so much for your incredible support for Peta, Matt, Sonny, Alfie and their family,” Ms Berben said late last month.

“They are completely overwhelmed and appreciative of everyone’s supportive messages, outreach and donations! So thank you all so much!!”

Community smashes fundraising goal for Geelong mum in coma

The community is continuing to rally around a Geelong mum who sustained a serious head injury while holidaying in Bali.

Peta Richards jumped on her moped on April 1 to take a short ride to buy her youngest child a birthday present when she was knocked off her bike. She has a motorcycle licence and was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.

The 36-year-old nurse suffered severe head injuries, including bleeding on the brain, a fractured skull and extensive brain swelling.

Part of her skull was removed to relieve pressure and she was taken to Melbourne on an emergency evacuation flight.

Ms Richards is in the Alfred hospital in an induced coma and her expected recovery remains unknown.

Friend Rachel Berben started a GoFundMe to support Ms Richards and her family.

As of Thursday it had raised more than $130,000.

“We wanted to thank you all so-so much for your incredible support for Peta, Matt, Sonny, Alfie and their family,” Ms Berben wrote.

“They are completely overwhelmed and appreciative of everyone’s supportive messages, outreach and donations! So thank you all so much!!

“This is such an incredible response in less than 24 hours.”

EARLIER

A Geelong mum’s dream holiday turned into a nightmare after she was seriously injured in a freak accident in Bali.

Peta Richards jumped on her moped on April 1 to take a short ride to buy her youngest child a birthday present when she was knocked off her bike. She has a motorcycle licence and was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.

The 36-year-old nurse suffered severe head injuries, including bleeding on the brain, a fractured skull and extensive brain swelling.

She was rushed to a local public hospital before being transferred to a private hospital for further treatment.

Peta Richards sustained a traumatic brain injury while holidaying in Bali.

Ms Richards underwent major brain surgery where doctors removed part of her skull to relieve the pressure within her brain.

Husband Matt and children Sonny, 4, and Alfie, 3, waited anxiously by Ms Richards’ side before securing an emergency evacuation flight to Melbourne.

About 10 days after the crash, Ms Richards was flown to the Alfred where she remains in an induced coma.

Friend Rachel Berben said Ms Richards is on a ventilator and her future remains unknown.

“She now has every specialist team involved in her care and we know she is in the very best of hands,” Ms Berben said.

“She will have an exceptionally long road to recovery with rehabilitation and at this stage we can only measure her progress on a day-to-day basis.”

Remarkably, Ms Richards sustained no other injuries,

A GoFundMe page, started to assist the family, had raised more than $60,000 by Tuesday afternoon.

“Over the coming days, weeks and months Matt will need to not only take care of Peta, attend hospital appointments, cater, and accommodate to any changing needs while also looking after his boys,” Ms Berben said.

“We are hoping this money can go towards anything the family need in the immediate future and go towards medical expenses to provide Peta with the best possible rehabilitation care to progress her recovery.”

Ms Berben said Ms Richards was the “most thoughtful and caring friend”.

“She is just honestly the most caring person that I’ve ever met,” Ms Berben said.

“She is so selfless and she would do anything for anyone. Anything for her boys and anything for her husband.”

Ms Berben said her friend’s life would be forever changed by the accident.

“They do love to live their life to the fullest,” she said.

“This is a complete flip of what their life looked like.”

Ms Berben said she was “overwhelmed” by the generosity of the community and thanked them for their support.

“We want Peta to be able to have her best outlook and rehabilitation to get her back to her best self in the future,” she said.

“We don’t know how long that road looks, so that’s what the money is there for – to support the ongoing medical needs and rehabilitation.”

To support the family visit gofundme.com and search for Peta’s fight for her life.

Originally published as Geelong mum in induced coma after horror Bali crash