'I haven’t come to terms with what’s happened yet'
It's hard thinking about what's ahead, I've got lots of physio to go through and learning to walk again
It's been just over two months since the Alton Towers rollercoaster crash which left Leah Washington needing to have her leg amputated. But the 18 year old is now ready to speak to us about how an innocent fun date with boyfriend Joe Pugh turned to horror as she clung to life as medics battled to save her after she severed a major artery on the ill-fated Smiler ride.
In her first ever TV interview, Leah joins us to talk about rebuilding her life and how as a keen dancer, she now dreams of being able to walk again on two legs.
Leah admitted to Eamonn and Ruth how it is still difficult to see footage and hear reports about it. She said, “It’s so hard... I don’t like to watch it, it’s quite scary and upsetting and brings back a lot of not nice memories.”
On the accident itself, Leah revealed she didn't feel any pain straight away: "I remember looking at Joe and his finger was hanging off. I saw Daniel and I saw a big cut on his forehand. There was no pain in my legs.
"Then I couldn't feel my toes and I looked down at my leg. I was trying to wiggle my toes but the sensation wasn't there.
Leah's leg was very damaged: "The surgeon thought my leg could come off in his hand, it was that severed. I had an amputation straight away."
Looking to the future, Leah said: "It's hard thinking about what's ahead, I've got lots of physio to go through and learning to walk again."
She continued: "I haven't really come to terms with what's happened yet, it's too soon."
Leah ended the interview wishing to say thank you to those that have helped her during these two months. She said “There are so many people I want to thank - air ambulance, Stoke hospital, all the well wishers - I’ve had so many cards from people I don’t even know - it’s been overwhelming."