Vernon, B.C. sa国际传媒� Eleanor Wilmot, 66, is sure shesa国际传媒檇 be dead if she wasnsa国际传媒檛 wearing a biking helmet when she was struck by an oncoming truck.

It was a smouldering Friday afternoon in late July when she sa国际传媒� expecting company sa国际传媒� decided to make a grocery run on her bike in Vernon. She strapped on her helmet like she usually did and made her way to the store; routine.

Afterwards, groceries and fresh flowers resting in her bike basket, she began her ride home. She had just made her way into the intersection between 43rd Avenue and 27th Street when she was hit.

sa国际传媒淚 always go through the sidestreets but this intersection was hard to avoid. The truck was turning at the same time and suddenly I was under it,sa国际传媒� Wilmot said. sa国际传媒淭he truck was so high that Isa国际传媒檓 sure he didnsa国际传媒檛 even see me.sa国际传媒�

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The next thing she remembers is being stuck, pinned beneath the truck with passersby telling her to try to hold still and wait for the paramedics.

sa国际传媒淚 just remember the heat,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淭he waiting was the worst because it was a hot day and there was lots of summer traffic and I just remember wearing shorts and a sleeveless top, laying spread eagle on the pavement. It felt like I was being barbequed on the pavement so it seemed like forever before the paramedics arrived.sa国际传媒�

Wilmotsa国际传媒檚 husband Glen Nikasari was at Canadian Tire when he got the call telling him his wife was in the hospital.

sa国际传媒淚 talked to the paramedics and they said that when they showed up, they thought she was dead from the way she was positioned under the truck,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淎nd when I saw the helmet and almost got sick thinking of what her head was going to look like.sa国际传媒�

According to paramedics, the trucksa国际传媒檚 tire rolled right over her head. Wilmot is sure that this helmet saved her life.

Her injuries included: three to five cracked ribs, a small tear in her lungs, a fractured pelvis and a broken collarbone. She had three blood transfusions.

sa国际传媒淚 also had surgery and have a titanium plate in me now.sa国际传媒�

She also had swollen and bruised head, shoulders and back and road rash on her hands and knees.

Having recently returned home, yousa国际传媒檇 never know she had a near-death experience. She still has bruising around her head and down her back but she is able to walk well and the swelling around her face has gone down.

She is grateful to the paramedics who saved her life sa国际传媒� and to her friends who convinced her to buy a helmet.

sa国际传媒淚 never used to wear a helmet myself but if it had gone over my head without it, I donsa国际传媒檛 see how I would have lived,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淚t looks like it wouldnsa国际传媒檛 do much but it definitely did the job. Wearing a helmet saved my life.sa国际传媒�

She hopes her story reaches young kids who are headed back to school in the upcoming weeks and urges them to remember to wear a helmet.

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