This beautiful travel influencer has regained consciousness after a jet ski accident on her birthday left her in a coma in Bali.
Polina Strelets, 24, from Russia’s cultural capital Saint Petersburg, suffered a near-fatal jet ski accident while celebrating her birthday on holiday in Bali.
It landed her in a coma, and she has been in hospital in Indonesia since 20th January. Her family is still battling to raise funds to bring her home to Russia for treatment.
The last message she wrote on her Instagram page before the accident was: “Bali is a magical world that I hope everyone will visit!”
Polina and another jet ski rider reportedly collided, causing Polina a double leg fracture, injuries to the base of her spine, and brain swelling.
She was reportedly operated on in Indonesia, but lapsed into a coma after the operation. Doctors in Indonesia also diagnosed her with a fat embolism.
Polina has now regained consciousness, but she is still connected to a ventilator and only has enough strength to nod her head, move her fingers, and make a slight smile.
She is currently being cared for at a hospital in the city of Denpasar, the capital of Bali.
She reportedly had RUB 50,000 (GBP 489) in health insurance, but a day in hospital in Indonesia costs approximately RUB 250,000 (GBP 2,450).
Her family is trying to bring her back to Russia for treatment. However, due to her serious brain condition, an air ambulance flight at low altitude will cost around RUB 15 million (GBP 147,000).
The influencer’s followers managed to raise RUB 12.5 million (GBP 122,000), but with daily costs at a Russian hospital expected to be around RUB 150,000 (GBP 1,470), the family is still at a huge loss.
In response to the family’s concerns, Saint Petersburg governor Alexander Beglov said he will provide necessary assistance, and Polina is expected to be transferred to a hospital in the city or the country’s capital Moscow soon.
