A model has revealed the near-fatal crash she suffered when clashing with a pigeon – and it has left her with complete memory loss.
Mercedes Valentine grew up “obsessed” with motorbikes, often riding around with her dad when she was only a little girl, before buying one of her own when she left home.
But the once exhilarating pastime quickly turned into a living nightmare for the 25-year-old when she suffered a near-fatal crash after hitting a bird head on.
The model, from Brighton, was left with four broken ribs, a broken nose, skull, shoulder, as well as a smashed eye socket and shattered pelvis.
Though the biggest issue of all was her memory – with everything a month before and thereafter the ordeal completely lost.
And now, she wakes up each day feeling like a different person.
“When I open my eyes, I sometimes don’t even recognise myself,” Mercedes told Need To Know.
“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.”
Mercedes, who has a degree in neuroscience, recalls being at the peak of her career prior to the accident in summer 2024.
She had just bought a five-bedroom house for £700,000 and a Porsche Taycan Turbo in blue for £80,000.
But then, everything came crashing down.
The model had spent the day before celebrating her parents’ 60th birthdays and retirement.
The next day, she and her family were on their way back home, but instead of going in the car with them, Mercedes wanted to ride her motorbike.
This decision, though, almost cost her life.
She said: “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 on and I swerved.”
Mercedes’ bike crashed into a parked Volvo at the side of the road and the model was “flung” 260ft into the air, before landing six house lengths from where she was riding.
Luckily, her family were right behind her – and with her mum, dad and older sister all being qualified doctors, they were able to help immediately.
During this time, bystanders had phoned an ambulance for help; though it was unclear the extent of Mercedes’ injuries and if she was alive.
The model said: “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.”
From there, she was escorted to hospital where scans and MRIs were carried out.
It was found that she had lost over three litres of blood – with two litres usually fatal.
Mercedes also had to be resuscitated twice; once by her dad at the scene and again in hospital.
She remained unconscious, with everything very touch-and-go, until a week later.
Mercedes, who also suffers from Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome which causes weak joints and bones, said: “I was literally on death’s door when I arrived at hospital.
“For the next two days, they hacked away at my face, stomach and pelvis, trying to stitch everything up.
“I’m basically half metal now because of all the pins and plates in me.
“It was expected I could go blind, if not have double vision, once everything had healed and that I’d have total limb numbness.
“So it was likely that I’d need full-time care, as I wouldn’t be able to function independently.
“But when I woke up, I was as chill as can be.
“Everyone around was completely devastated, worrying if I’d ever be the same again.
“Yet, I was on cloud nine, probably because of all the morphine I was on.”
As memory loss was expected after all Mercedes had been through, she claims doctors “weren’t concerned” about this.
She remembered her boyfriend’s name, Mark, 34, and all her family; though friends and other events, including the incident, were a miss.
After one month, though, she was discharged and allowed home to readjust to the real world.
But it quickly became clear how bad her memory loss was.
She said: “It was shocking and traumatising.
“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.”
Despite the struggles getting to grips with her new normal, Mercedes has tried to go back to her career in content creation.
Although it’s not been easy, with people often commenting on her looks, such as asking why her eye is bruised, her weight gain, or on her scars.
It’s made her question whether she’s ready for her old life again; but her determination throughout all of this has made her stronger than ever.
Mercedes added: “I’ve been really stubborn, not letting anything stop me from doing what I want to do.
“Even after I was able to walk again, the first thing I did was jump back on my bike.
“Obviously now when I ride my bike, I’m very careful – always going the speed limit and have someone with me at all times.
“It was an unlucky coincidence, as if the pigeon had flown down a millisecond earlier or later, none of this would’ve happened.
“I’ve realised, though, it was my stupidity that landed me here and I really hope people learn from my ordeal to take care when riding motorbikes.
“There’s a very slim chance between surviving and not knowing how much your life will change – or it being taken away completely.
“Be aware of your surroundings, know your limits and always wear a helmet; it ultimately saved my life.
“It’s a really horrible thing I’ve been through, but I’ve come out the other side with a lot of things being better.
“In a way, I’m grateful for the near-death experience as it’s taught me a lot in resilience and what my body is capable of.
“But I never want to put my family through that devastation again.”
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