A fundraising page has been set up to help a marshal who suffered serious injury after being thrown 10 feet and knocked unconscious at Preston Docks MX.
Karen Seaman from Stafford had been unable to work for 20 years due to a disability but had recently made a new start to her life after securing work with the local Trading Standards department.
The accident happened while she was marshalling at round seven of the Acerbis Nationals. During an MX2 moto, two riders went off track and collided with Karen near the finish line.
The 49-year-old from Coton Fields was airlifted to Royal Preston Hospital after suffering a fractured skull, broken bones in her back and neck, six broken ribs and a punctured lung.
Ashley Harland who finished second overall in the 125 class at Preston, and who holds the red plate with a 66 point gap on Jack Drogan, has set up a fundraising page to hopefully raise £10,000 to assist Karen with her injuries.
Speaking to the Staffordshire Newsletter, #292 Harland said: “She was thrown out of her marshal point down the side of the track, probably about 10 feet. She was unconscious.”
Commenting on the fundraising page, Karen’s husband, Dimitris, said: “I am Karen’s husband and would just like to thank everybody involved in this, from Ash Harland who created the page, through to everybody that has pledged any amount and to those with messages of support. And to all those who have shared Karen’s story, which is now going around the world, it is truly unbelievable.
“We are extremely humbled and overwhelmed by the generosity of the motocross community (and others too). It means so much at this difficult time.”
Staffordshire Newsletter reports that Dimitris spoke to Karen on Monday and said: “She’s battling on. I told her I was going to give her a helmet and body armour. She can’t wait to get the flag back in her hand.”
The motocross community is a generous bunch and donations are going well, with the total raised – as we posted this article – at over £1,500. If you would like to help Karen get back to marshalling you can donate here: https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/Trackside-marshall.
