Australian Woman Loses Breast Implants after Being Kicked by a Kangaroo
OutdoorHub Reporters 06.02.16
Kangaroos may seem like docile creatures, but they pack more than enough power to send you flying. A 45-year-old woman in southern Australia will now be undergoing surgery to replace her ruptured breast implants after being kicked by a kangaroo last week. Sharon Heinrich was biking through Clare Valley’s popular Riesling Trail with a friend when suddenly, a male kangaroo kicked both women off their bikes. The kangaroo then landed squarely on Heinrich and used her as a jumping board to leap off.
“When the surgeon saw me in Adelaide, he said I was lucky to be alive – kangaroos are solid muscle and incredibly powerful. When he landed, he went completely through me. If he had become caught in the bike, the outcome could have been a lot different,” she told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Heinrich sustained three broken ribs in addition to the ruptured implants. Her friend received a concussion as a result of the accident.
Surprisingly, Heinrich says that her implants may have actually saved her from serious injuries.
“They worked as air bags,” she told the Daily Mail, adding that they helped cushion her impact on the ground. “We flew probably one-and-a-half meters after he hit us.”
Heinrich says she knew beforehand that kangaroos lived in the area and did not hold anything against the creatures. Instead, the avid cyclist took things in stride and said that she hoped the incident would not persuade anyone from avoiding the trail. Heinrich did add, however, that some kangaroo crossing signs might be beneficial to visitors.
