US Nurse Suffers Devastating Facial Injuries in Krabi Moped Crash

[Jeff the Chef]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Picture courtesy of Boston 25 News

 

A heart-stopping vacation horror in Krabi, Thailand, as an American ICU nurse sees her holiday flip into a nightmare moped crash, leaving her with catastrophic facial injuries.

 

-- 2025-04-03

 

 

 

37 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

 

Is there something wrong with fallacies and inaccuracies being commented on?   In the context of the OP, and the posts here, would you like to know that she was apparently on an "ATV", not a "moped"?

 

I can only comment on information supplied.

[Sheryl]

5 hours ago, norfolkandchance said:

$63,000 raised. Will not post here but that's some injury.

Cost of family flying to, and staying in, Thailand

 

Special medivac flight  from Krabi to private hospital in Bkk

 

Several specialized surgeries at Bkk private hospital

 

And possibly some extra costs related to return flight.

 

Easily reach that amount or more. 

 

She also probably has a deductible (excess) on her US insurance as well. Most people do.  But the medevac flight and surgeries in Bkk would be the big ticket items. 

 

[pimmmm]

Go fund me says an ATV accident,, not motorbike?    If she was doing some kind of organised activity they should be giving out full face helmets.  If ATV on the road asking for trouble.

[Sheryl]

2 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

Why? What I understand it's easy to beg other people when your pockets are empty.

It is not "begging" to establish a GoFundMe page. Nor -- contrary to what people here seem  to assume -  is it primarily aimed at strangers.

 

In a situation like this,  close friends, coworkers  and extended family often want to contribute. GoFundMe and similar sites offer a convenient service for making and receiving multiple donations from many people without the family having to coordinate it all at a time when they are already busy.  It is the most practical solution, and except for the misanthropes on AN, most people understand this. 

 

Certainly does not imply empty pickets. Just a large sudden misfortune & expense, and people who want to contribute. 

[newbee2022]

3 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

It is not "begging" to establush a GoFundMe page. Nor -- contrary to what people here seem  to assume -  is it primarily aimed at strangers.

 

In a situation lke this,  close friends, coworkers  and extnded family often want to contribute. GoFundMe and similar sites offer a convenient service for making and receiving multiple donations from many people without the family gaving to coordinate it all at a time when they are already busy.  It is the most practical solution, and except for the misanthropes on AN, most people understand this. 

 

Certainly does not imply empty pickets. Just a large sudden misfortune & expense, and people who want to contribute. 

I don't agree.

Is it misfortune not to have an insurance for covering accidents? 

And to "save" money for an insurance it's adequate then to beg other people to pay?

Begging is embarrassing. 

 

[Paul45]

15 minutes ago, Captor said:

Why must have? She had GoFundMe.... and mother maybe paid.... and besides that if not having driving license a travel insurance will not pay anyway as she was driving illegal..

I guess it's possible she could have paid for it.  Given 30,000+ USD cost, I would think she would have rather just continued treatment in Thailand rather than pay for it.  Especially considering how much cheaper healthcare in Thailand is compared to the US.

[chuang]

4 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

I hope she had travel insurance......

No need..you can Gofundme.... it's free

[connda]

Full-face helmets are your friend.  Now - slam Thailand's medical facilities and care.  Then indicate that you either weren't responsible enough to take out a medical insurance policy for the trip, or, the policy didn't cover riding a motorcycle (many don't).  Let's not even talk about wearing proper protective gear for driving a motorcycle.  Now slam Thailand's medical facilities and care some more.   Then start a GoFundMe page.  And blame Thailand.

People!  Don't travel to third-world and developing countries without being prepared.  Was she driving the "moped" (which is a motorcycle) or a passenger.  Got a full-face helmet?  Had she ever driven a motorcycle in the US. Was she licensed in the US to drive one.  I'm always amazed that people who never have driven a motorcycle in their home country think it's OK to come to Thailand and hop on one without any training - or a license.  See it all the time.

I wish these people would just stay home.  She'll no doubt be slamming Thailand's medical services for the rest of her life.  Dear sweat child - don't come back.  Stay in the US.

[Cabradelmar]

ICU nurse must see a lot of motorcycle accident patients. No one ever thinks it will happen to them. Love and learn.

[edwinchester]

4 hours ago, JoePai said:

encountering hospital rooms with pigeons and inadequate

 

Umm pigeons in hospitals?  Mybe she was taken to a Vet by mistake ?

Seen pigeons in many Thai hospitals, nothing to worry about. Snakes, now they're altogether different. Guy at a hospital near to us was placed on a gurney and bitten, he was lucky to survive.

[Sheryl]

4 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

I don't agree.

Is it misfortune not to have an insurance for covering accidents? 

And to "save" money for an insurance it's adequate then to beg other people to pay?

Begging is embarrassing. 

 

 

"Begging"  implies approaching peopke unsolicited.

 

They simply created a site on a forum which coordinates and collects donations from those who choose to go on it to give.

 

We have no idea what the insurance situation was.

[norfolkandchance]

29 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Cost of family foying to, and staying in, Thailand

 

Special medivac flight  fom Krabi to private hospital in Bkk

 

Several specialized surgeries at Bkk private hospital

 

And possibly some extra costs related to return flight.

 

Easily reach that amount or more. 

 

She also probably has a deductible (excess) on her US insurance as well. Most people do.  But the medevac flight and surgeries in Bkk would be the big ticket items. 

 

As mentioned before let's hope she has medical insurance back in the USA.

[newbee2022]

6 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

 

"Begging"  implies approaching peopke unsolicited.

 

They simply created a site on a forum which coordinates and collects donations from those who choose to go on it to give.

 

We have no idea what the insurance situation was.

If there would be an Insurance the whole #gofundme business wouldn't be necessary, right?

[newbee2022]

16 minutes ago, chuang said:

No need..you can Gofundme.... it's free

Yes, more and more people are going this way. Obviously it works fine. Often published here on AN.

[robz]

Normally the ATV company should have an insurance for that.

[newbee2022]

36 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Cost of family foying to, and staying in, Thailand

 

Special medivac flight  fom Krabi to private hospital in Bkk

 

Several specialized surgeries at Bkk private hospital

 

And possibly some extra costs related to return flight.

 

Easily reach that amount or more. 

 

She also probably has a deductible (excess) on her US insurance as well. Most people do.  But the medevac flight and surgeries in Bkk would be the big ticket items. 

 

She also probably has a deductible (excess) on her US insurance as well.

 

Later you told me we don't know anything about it. 😳

Anyway, ask for a loan from the bank would be No 1 to do before looking into other pockets 

[newbee2022]

4 hours ago, grumpyoldman said:

Never will understand tourists who rent a bike, unskilled with the bike, unskilled on the roads...........wait which side am I on?

Hard to believe. But hey, if something will happen...go for begging👍

[pacovl46]

4 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

I hope she had travel insurance......

They usually exclude riding motorbikes/motorcycles from their policy. 

[newbee2022]

8 minutes ago, pacovl46 said:

They usually exclude riding motorbikes/motorcycles from their policy. 

Read the small prints. Or pay by yourself 👍

[DGS1244]

Since when did Thailand have Mopeds? Scooters yes, 50 cc mopeds went out of use years ago.

[Purdey]

A difficult situation for the poor girl. She has a tattoo so might be mistaken for a gangbanger if her face is unrecognizable upon return. Good luck.

[NorthernRyland]

1 hour ago, riclag said:

 Average Icu nurse wagein the states is $85k+ per yr. Massachusetts 93k+.

More than likely she has free healthcare provided by her hospital employer in the states.

 

 

Yet she opened a GoFundMe???

[NorthernRyland]

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

It is not "begging" to establush a GoFundMe page. Nor -- contrary to what people here seem  to assume -  is it primarily aimed at strangers.

 

 

Fair enough but then why does ASEANNow promote her to strangers on the internet who aren't even Americans? I bet she makes more than 90% of the people here too. Maybe that's why it feels like begging.

[impulse]

1 hour ago, newbee2022 said:

If there would be an Insurance the whole #gofundme business wouldn't be necessary, right?

 

Can you point to a single travel insurance policy that covers scooter accidents for unlicensed riders?

 

[newbee2022]

Just now, impulse said:

 

Can you point to a single travel insurance policy that covers scooter accidents for unlicensed riders?

 

I'm not riding a scooters. Sorry. This I leave to the idiots🥰

[impulse]

1 minute ago, newbee2022 said:

2 minutes ago, impulse said:

Can you point to a single travel insurance policy that covers scooter accidents for unlicensed riders?

I'm not riding a scooters. Sorry. This I leave to the idiots

 

And yet, you're harping on her for not having insurance coverage...  Which doesn't exist for an unlicensed scooter driver.

 

[safarimike11]

4 hours ago, Packer said:

A nurse not wearing a full face helmet?

 

I went into an underpass a second after a scooter crashed from the other side, he rode in the debris at the inside on the underpass lane, lost the front wheel at WOT and highsided, his pillion friend went mouth first onto the kerb. The look of horror as he got up with the bottom of his face gone, teeth, bone and the thickest red blood and liquid I've ever seen splurting out from where his mouth and jaw previously was will stay with me for a long time. Would have lost all his teeth, smashed and shattered jaw. Don't wear open face helmets if you value your face. 

I want to see the movie.

[Scouse123]

5 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

I hope she had travel insurance......

 

 

Why?

 

The common fallback position with youngsters these days is GoFundMe!

 

They think that's what it is there for, for people who don't know them to donate due to their own stupidity.

[off road pat]

5 hours ago, Jeff the Chef said:

If she had no helmet, no sympathy.

There was nothing in the article about "No Helmet" I am sure she would have wared one, as she is a ICU nurse.

But no full face helmet obviously !!

[stupidfarang]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Picture courtesy of Boston 25 News

 

A heart-stopping vacation horror in Krabi, Thailand, as an American ICU nurse sees her holiday flip into a nightmare moped crash, leaving her with catastrophic facial injuries.

 

Sierra Fairhurst, a 24-year-old from Massachusetts, was cruising with friends when darkness engulfed her journey, resulting in shattered facial bones and lost teeth. Struggling in a local hospital with unsatisfactory conditions, the situation grew worse when her passport vanished, stalling vital medical transfers.

 

Despite the chaos, her mother, Zoe Rose, and brother rushed to her side, encountering hospital rooms with pigeons and inadequate facilities. "Physically, you can see that her nose is over to the side; physically, she doesn’t have any teeth; her chin was kind of removed, but it’s now back on, and her eyelid was gone, but that’s now on,"

 

Rose lamented about her daughter's condition. A GoFundMe page, aiming to ease the financial burden of medical expenses and recovery, has been established to help Sierra’s family during this challenging time.

 

 

 

Compounded by lost identification, transferring Sierra to a better hospital in Bangkok for further treatment seemed impossible, yet the US Embassy hustled a new passport to re-ignite her recovery journey.

 

Finally flown to Bangkok for urgent surgeries, Sierra returned safely to the US by March 27th. Boston Logan International Airport marked the start of her stateside healing journey, ushering in a series of appointments with specialists to address her severe injuries, with ongoing costs potentially reaching thousands of Thai Baht.

 

Her mother remains thankful that Sierra is alive to tell the tale. As Sierra soldiers through recovery, her spirit shines brighter, pressing on through physical scars with hopes of returning to her everyday life and the healthcare field.

 

This incident underscores the critical importance of careful travel planning and safety precautions on international adventures, highlighting the vital role of community support in times of crisis.

 

Based on a story by The Thaiger

 

-- 2025-04-03

 

 

she is alive un like the australian kid who died today in samui on a motorbike