Mercedes Valentine, a 25-year-old neuroscientist-turned-OnlyFans model, suffered a devastating motorcycle crash when she collided with a pigeon. The accident left her with severe physical injuries, including a broken nose, skull, shoulder, and ribs, as well as a smashed eye socket and shattered pelvis. The crash also took a toll on Valentine’s mental health, causing memory loss that erased her recollections of the month leading up to and following the accident, the New York Post reported.
“When I open my eyes, I sometimes don’t even recognize myself. Because I function differently and can’t remember most things, it’s like my brain is someone else’s. It’s been really confusing and emotionally challenging to come to terms with. I’ve had to start living, and adapting to doing so, as a different person,” she told NeedToKnow.
Before the fateful summer of 2024, Ms Valentine’s had a thriving career. She had just purchased a lavish house for over $900,000 and a sleek blue Porsche Taycan Turbo for over $100,000. A day before the accident, she was celebrating her parents’ 60th birthdays and retirement. When it was time to leave, she opted to ride her motorcycle home instead of joining her family in their car, a decision that forever altered her life.
“I wasn’t being clever and was going very fast down a residential street where there was a pigeon on the lamppost above me. As I approached, it swooped down and not knowing what it was at the time, I tried to avoid it. But then it hit me head and I swerved,” she told the NY Post.
As she swerved to avoid the bird, her motorcycle crashed into a parked car, sending her flying 260 feet through the air. She landed six houses away from the point of impact, following which bystanders rushed to call for emergency assistance. Fortunately, Valentine’s family, all of whom are medical professionals, were driving behind her and were able to provide immediate aid.
“I was lying in the road for about two minutes before they arrived. I was blue and not responding, my pupils were dilated and it was assumed I was dead. My dad ultimately saved my life, as he took off my helmet to stop it from choking me and stop the bleeding as best he could,” she added.
She was then rushed to the hospital, and it was discovered that she lost over three litres of blood from the incident. As per doctors, Ms Valentine faced the possibility of blindness, double vision, and total limb numbness once her physical wounds healed. Additionally, she suffered from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a condition that weakens joints and bones.
When Valentine finally regained consciousness a week after the accident, she could only recall her boyfriend’s name, Mark, and her family members. Everything else, including the accident itself, was a complete blank. After a month-long hospital stay, she was finally discharged and returned home, eager to resume her life. However, it was only then that the full extent of her memory loss became clear.
“It was shocking and traumatizing. I’d be at the gym, and someone would say hello and I’d have no clue who they were. I quickly had to come to terms with the fact that my memory was never coming back. Time is completely warped to me now. I forget what day or month it is regularly. My boyfriend has to give me a run every day of what I’ve got on, otherwise, I’d forget,” she shared.
As she attempts to revive her content creation, she’s faced with insensitive comments about her appearance, specifically her bruised eye and scars. Despite the challenges, Valentine has taken responsibility for the accident, acknowledging that greater caution could have prevented it. She’s using her experience to caution fellow bike riders, stressing the importance of situational awareness, knowing one’s limits, and always wearing a helmet because it ultimately saved her life.
