The 21-year-old sustained significant head injuries, ACL and MCL tears and paralysis on the left side of her body, after a tube she was being towed on collided with a tree.
Kerrida spent three weeks in intensive care at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne before being moved to Caulfield Rehabilitation Centre for a week.
After a month in Melbourne, Kerrida was relieved to be returning home to Corowa to be cared for by her family.
“I was glad to return home, but I was very lost. I am still trying to wrap my head around what happened,” Kerrida said.
“At first it was hard being stuck at home and not being able to do anything, but it made it a little easier knowing everyone else had to stay home too.”
Since being home, Kerrida has continued to make great strides with her recovery attending physio in Albury each week.
Her father, Tony Rourke expressed how proud he was of his daughter and the progress she has made.
“From the first night we saw her in Melbourne to where she is now, she’s come out in leaps and bounds,” Mr Rourke told the Free Press.
“She’s doing well. She feels good in herself and she is up and ready to go again.”
Before the accident, Kerrida had not long moved to Wodonga with a friend where she was completing her hairdressing apprenticeship.
Kerrida will remain in Corowa with her father until she gets the all-clear to drive and work again. While a full recovery is still a while away, Kerrida is determined to regain her independence.
“I plan to get my licence back soon so I can get back to my own place and return to normal,” Kerrida said.
Kerrida expressed her gratitude to the nurses and staff who looked after her in Melbourne.
“I would like to thank the nurses at the Alfred Hospital for saving my life and the nurses from Caulfield Hospital for helping me get feeling back in my left side and up and walking again,” she said.
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