Louis Thorold: Mum's long recovery after crash that killed baby

Louis Thorold was pictured with his mother Rachael just hours before the crash

The mother of a baby killed when a van hit his pram said her own recovery from severe injuries had been harder and more painful than she had imagined.

Rachael Thorold was pushing five-month-old Louis in his pram by the A10 in Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire, on 22 January, when they were hit.

She spent 118 days in hospital with multiple fractures and a brain injury.

Still recovering, she said going into a shop by herself was a "huge" step, and going for a run was her next goal.

"Everything was broken," she said, describing her injuries.

"Basically my right side was broken - everything from my face, my jaw, my arm, my hip, my leg - in two places."

The 36-year-old was in a coma for 10 days, but after that she was unable to do anything for herself, including going to the toilet, she said.

Rachael pictured leaving hospital

Her son Louis died after the van left the road, having collided with a car on the A10.

Almost 10 months after the crash, Mrs Thorold said while she was "reasonably fit" beforehand, it was now all about "incremental gains".

It had been "incredibly frustrating", she said, "but I'm starting from a very low baseline".

"I think I was a bit naïve - I didn't realise it would be such a slow, painful process."

Rachael Thorold was photographed with husband Chris during her recovery

The day she learned to walk for the first time had been "massive", Mrs Thorold recalled.

Being able to do small things that most people take for granted became achievements, she said.

"Like nipping to Waitrose... I went in on my own and picked up some bread on a Sunday morning - and that was a huge achievement.

"And even though I was never a runner before, I would like to go on a run, even a short little one, that's fine."

Louis Thorold was born in August last year

Having battled back from such severe injuries, she said she had a new-found respect for her body.

"I was always criticising myself, always focused on what I looked like, but now I'm actually quite inspired by my body - I think it's quite amazing."

Her husband, Chris Thorold set up the Louis Thorold Foundation in his son's memory, with the aim of preventing infant pedestrian deaths.

Cambridgeshire Police said their investigation into the crash was ongoing.

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