Air Canada attendant ejected in crash suffered ‘shattered legs, fractured spine', daughter reveals

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: The daughter of an Air Canada flight attendant who was thrown hundreds of feet during the fatal crash at LaGuardia has shared an update on her mother’s recovery.

Solange Tremblay was ejected from the plane while still strapped to her seat on March 22, surviving the disaster that killed both pilots, Antoine Forest and Mackenzie Gunther.

Daughter details mother’s severe injuries after crash

Solange Tremblay, the flight attendant, was thrown 320 feet from the plane when the Air Canada Express hit a fire truck on the tarmac.

Her daughter, Sarah Lepine, shared a photo of her mother smiling in a hospital bed with bandaged legs but explained that her injuries are severe. 

“My mother’s injuries include two shattered legs (open fractures) requiring multiple surgeries where metal plates are needed to repair the damage done to her legs,” Lepine said in a GoFundMe update. 

Daughter reveals mother’s horrific tarmac slide injuries

The impact of the crash left Tremblay with a broken back and severe skin damage from sliding down the tarmac. 

“She sustained a fractured spine where she continues to wait and see if surgery is required. Furthermore, she requires skin [grafts] to repair the missing flesh she lost on her legs while sliding down the tarmac,” Lepine added.

Because of complications during her operations, Tremblay has already needed a blood transfusion and faces a constant threat of infection, according to her daughter. 

Daughter details long road to regain mobility

The family is now focused on the difficult months ahead as the flight attendant tries to regain her mobility.

“She will have to undergo several other surgeries, along with intensive rehabilitation to learn how to walk again. At the moment our greatest fear is the risk of infection, which could lead to other horrifying complications if her injuries become infected,” Lepine said.

While most of the other passengers were able to leave the hospital shortly after the crash, Tremblay remains one of the few still under constant medical care.

NTSB probes LaGuardia Air Canada crash

It is to be noted that this incident was the first fatal crash at LaGuardia in 30 years and is currently being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board.

While there have been past complaints about the airport's short runways and communication problems, as reported by the New York Post, officials are waiting for the final report before making any changes.

So far, the public has donated nearly CA$176,782 ($130,800) to help with Tremblay's medical bills as she begins the long process of healing.