teens

"Not wearing a helmet could be a life or death choice."

A mother has made an emotional plea for young people to be mindful of skateboarding safety after her teenage daughter suffered a brain injury when the skateboard she was riding tripped over a stone.

Emma Fairthorne, from the UK, posted a video on Facebook after her teenage daughter Georgia, had the devastating accident.

Her tearful and heartfelt warning has now been viewed by more than 1 million people.

Georgia on my Mind

The family had been on holidays in Wales when the vivacious 19-year-old went riding her skateboard with sister Hermione and Hermione’s boyfriend.

“I heard them…and thought: ‘Oh I ought to check they’re not going far’ but they’re old enough so off they went,” Emma said.

“Half an hour later Hermione came running in and shouting: ‘It’s Georgia!’”

She says she ran from her house and a friend drove her to the scene of the accident. There she saw Georgia lying on the pavement after having a fit.

Emma has used her video to urge parents to “just take care” and ensure their children wore helmets.

“It’s the summer holidays and I know it’s not cool to wear a helmet,” she said.

“We didn’t have one that fitted Georgia, but I just didn’t think. She didn’t go down a massive hill.

“I wish as a mum that I had provided her with a helmet. I’m just praying the best possible outcome happens for her.”

“I don’t know what quality of life she is going to have, if she makes it through the next few days, my beautiful, beautiful girl.

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“It should have been a broken ankle or wrist or a few cuts and scrapes but not brain surgery and intensive care.

“Please guys, please, just take care. Take care of your kids and get them a helmet when they are on their scooters and skateboards because it only took one second.”

"Please guys, please, just take care." Emma pleads. Via Facebook.

In her latest video she says her daughter was sedated, but that her outcome was encouraging.

The family have set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for the transport fees going back and forth to hospital.

“I don’t want you to give large amounts, maybe just one or two pounds each,” she wrote.

Emma says she is amazed by the response to her video, that people she hardly knows have dragged old helmets from the cupboard and are reminding their children of the importance of wearing them.

She said she believes already her message is saving lives.

Watch: Women share the last text message they received from their mum.