A Queensland 10-year-old may not be able to walk again and can only communicate by blinking after a devastating horse-riding accident.
Abbie Sweeper was put into a coma after the accident on July 14, Yahoo News Australia reports. She hit her head on the ground when she fell off the horse.
She's been described by those close to her as a "happy, bold, determined" child.
Abbie's life changed forever after she was sent flying from her horse after it took an unexpected turn.
"It wasn't a fast fall, but because she was loose in the saddle she came off and hit her head and suffered spinal cord damage and torn ligaments," family friend Tiffany Stubbs said.
Now her family face a waiting game.
Heartbreaking photos show the experienced rider lying in hospital. So far she has only been able to communicate through blinking.
"She may never potentially be able to do the things she loves, like ride horses and ride bikes, and that's the most heartbreaking thing for her parents," Stubbs told Yahoo. "They know this is a long journey... It's just a matter of time and waiting."
She is undergoing speech and physiotherapy for treatment."It will be months until we know if she can move and breathe on her own," Stubbs told Yahoo.
Newshub.
