“Kylie saved Janey’s life,” Lee's husband said in a tearful update
Credit: Kylie Marie Walton/instagram
NEED TO KNOW
- Two race car drivers are recovering after an incident during a live rehearsal left them hospitalized
- Janey Lee became engulfed in flames after her seatbelt jammed while driving with Kylie Marie Walton, Lee’s husband said
- “Thank you everyone for your continued love and support!” Lee said in an update
Professional race car drivers Kylie Marie Walton and Janey Lee are recovering weeks after their vehicle caught fire during a live event, leaving them both seriously injured.
In a joint Instagram post on March 26, Lee’s husband Eric made a video to combat “bad information out there” and confirm that the co-drivers were involved in an accident on Tuesday, March 24, at approximately 11 a.m. while pre-running the San Felipe 250, held near San Felipe, Baja Calif.
“The car caught fire under Janey’s seat, but her seatbelt was not released,” he said, beginning to break down and cry. “At that point, she was fully engulfed in flames.”
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He added that “Kylie saved Janey’s life” by helping her release the seatbelt despite the chaotic circumstances.
Eric also credited the ladies’ helmets, gloves and other protective gear for preventing the situation from being worse than what it was. Still, Lee suffered “extensive” burns to her legs, as well as burns to her shoulders, “that will also require some grafting.”
“She’s a trooper, and she’s in good spirits,” Eric said of his wife.
Walton also suffered burns to her hands, he said in the video. “The girls are tough,” he continued. “They really are.”
Becoming emotional once again, Eric then thanked everyone present for “getting the girls outta there quickly.”
His video was one of nearly a dozen updates that he, Lee and Walton have shared.
On April 9, Road 2 Recovery, a non-profit that raises money for professionally licensed athletes after they sustain a career-ending injury, said in an Instagram update: “Both [Lee and Walton] are facing a long and challenging recovery from their burn injuries, requiring ongoing medical care, patience, and resilience.”
The post included a photo of Lee lying in a hospital bed, almost fully covered in bandages with a brace on one of her legs. The following image showed Walton at home resting with her hands wrapped in gauze.
By April 14, Lee had spent 20 days in the Burn Unit ICU.
Walton has also kept her supporters aware of her situation.
“I just wanted to take a moment to check in and say thank you from the bottom of my heart for the ongoing prayers, messages, and support,” she captioned an April 20 Instagram video. “It truly means more to me than I can explain.”
The clip showed her getting help changing her bandages and sterilizing her wounds.
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“I had a doctor’s appointment last week and was able to see Janey while I was there. It meant so much to check in on her and see how she’s doing in her recovery too,” Walton wrote, adding that she would provide another update later this week.
On Wednesday, April 22, Lee told her followers that she’s finally been able to start walking again with assistance from her nurses.
“It’s been easier to get out of bed with each day that passes and I’m no longer needing additional rescue pain meds to do so. Bless!” she wrote, along with a video of her progress.
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Lee added that she was working on introducing movement and “coordination foot work” without her walker after multiple surgeries.
“Hospital hopscotch goes HARD my girl 🙌😮💨 I love you I’m so proud of you 👏🏼 keep it up,” Walton commented.
“Thank you everyone for your continued love and support!” Lee said. “It truly means the world to me and helps me push through the toughest of times. I love you all!”
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