- Charlene Morrissey, 34, had been on a dream Bali holiday when a a freak accident left her fighting for life.
- Charlene was en route to visit popular tourist destination, Mount Agung, when she was hit by a truck
- The freak accident left Charlene’s arm completely shredded and she was rushed to hospital to piece it back together
Here, Charlene tells her story in her own words.
Warning: The contents of this article contain graphic content
Pulling on my helmet, I buckled the strap and swung my leg over my scooter.
It was July 2024 and, having quit my job as a sales and accounts manager, I was on the adventure of a lifetime in Bali.
Using my savings, I’d purchased a one-way ticket to the tropical island.
Settling into a private villa in Canggu, I spent my time making friends, practising yoga and eating delicious nutritious food.
I’d also obtained my motorbike driving licence so I could learn to ride a scooter. And, with a few lessons, I became a confident rider.
I’m happier than I’ve ever been, I thought.
After being in Bali for just a few weeks, I met my partner.
Together we rode all over the island in search of adventure.
Next on our bucket list was Mount Agung – an active volcano.
We planned to hike to the summit at sunrise. Packing our hiking and camping gear into rucksacks, we set off on separate scooters for the nearly three-hour ride to the base of the volcano.
We were about halfway there when the sun began to dip in the sky.
‘We should set up camp before it gets dark,’ my boyfriend suggested.
Turning on to a main road in the middle of nowhere, my boyfriend went first, then I pulled out too.
But just then, a huge truck carrying metal rods came hurtling alongside me, going in the same direction.
‘I’m going to die.’
As the truck roared along, it felt terrifyingly close, so I slowed and put my feet down to steady myself. That’s when the rear of the truck smacked into me.
Instinctively I put my right hand up to shield myself.
But as the truck sped past, my right arm was sucked straight into the rear wheel arch, knocking me off my bike and dragging me along the ground.
Terrified I’d be dragged further along the gravel, I reefed my arm out.
It all happened so fast! Suddenly, a searing pain tore through my arm.
Looking down, I could see all the skin, fat, muscle and tendons from my forearm had been peeled back, leaving my bones completely exposed.
READ MORE: ‘Holiday Horror: ‘I Could See My Kneecap!’’
As blood gushed from the wound, it looked like my arm had been put through a shredder.
Chunks of mutilated flesh were splattered on the road
I’m going to die, I panicked, howling in agony.
Unaware of the accident, the truckie didn’t stop.
But as I lifted my butchered arm, I could see straight through it to my boyfriend, who was rushing towards me, the sun setting in the distance.
‘Tell my family I love them.’
Helping me to my feet, he carried me to the side of the road where locals raced over to help.
One of them dialled emergency services.
My boyfriend was beside himself so, using a piece of camping string I’d found in my rucksack, I tried to tie my skin and fat back onto my arm – but it was no use.
After an hour and a half, an ambulance arrived.
‘Please don’t let me die,’ I begged paramedics.
READ MORE: ‘Aussie toddler crushed by LandCruiser at campground’
They placed my arm on a wooden plank and wrapped it in a towel to help keep it straight and stem the bleeding.
At hospital 30 minutes later, doctors offered a grim prognosis.
‘She’s severed the main artery in her arm. She won’t survive,’ they said.
‘Please help me,’ I begged the doctors.
An hour and a half later, they advised us to go to the Bali International Hospital which was better equipped to help me.
‘I thought I’d lost you, darling.’
Back in an ambulance, I was transferred without painkillers to the next hospital two hours away.
By now I’d lost half my blood supply, and I was sure I didn’t have long left.
‘Tell my family I love them,’ I told my boyfriend before blacking out.
Coming to in recovery 15 hours later, I was heavily medicated and drifted in and out of sleep.
Waking up three days later, I saw that my mum, Kathleen, 54, and sister, Alana, 32, were by my side.
READ MORE: ‘Caravan hell – My boy was crushed by a tree’
‘I thought I’d lost you, darling,’ Mum said.
I listened in shock as my boyfriend told me that, as soon as we’d arrived at the hospital, I’d been rushed in for emergency surgery, and he’d called my family.
To save my life, in a series of operations, surgeons worked for 14 hours to reattach the flesh, fat, muscle and tendons to my arm.
They also inserted 10 pins into my hand to hold the bones together.
Due to the massive blood loss, I’d needed five blood transfusions. It was a miracle I’d survived.
Over the next week in hospital, I had several more surgeries to remove gravel from my wounds.
Sadly, surgeons weren’t able to save my skin and fat, so they did grafts using skin from my left thigh.
After three and a half weeks in intensive care, I took my first steps in hospital before I was transferred back home.
There I spent another 10 days in hospital before getting the all-clear.
Seeing my arm for the first time, it looked like something out of a horror movie.
The skin was black and dying, and the veins and tendons were raw and still exposed.
Thankfully over time, the skin grew over.
Unfortunately, my partner and I separated soon after.
Now almost a year on, I’ve continued to defy the odds.
While I don’t have feeling in most of my fingers, and struggle with simple tasks like using cutlery and brushing my hair, I’m back in the gym doing push-ups, pull-ups and headstands.
I’ve even learnt to write again.
In February this year I moved back to Bali, and in July I’m returning to Mount Agung to finally complete my hike.
Turning my pain into power, today I share my story to empower others to navigate their trauma, change their mindset and find their healing.
Although my scars took time to get used to, they’re a reminder of just how strong I am. For that, I’m forever grateful.
