Saturday 19 December 2015 08:23, UK
Ellie Day, the wife of US PGA champion Jason Day, has confirmed she is making a good recovery following the court-side collision with LeBron James.
The incident occurred during the Cleveland Cavaliers' NBA game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, when James tumbled into the first row of court-side seats trying to keep the ball in play and crashed into Day.
In a statement, she compared being run into by 6ft 8in, almost-18-stone James to the impact of being hit by a truck.
Day was stretchered away for hospital treatment with her neck in a brace, but she absolved the Cleveland superstar of any blame for the incident.
"Wow!! It's official. More messages from getting plowed over by LeBron than Jason winning a major," Day stated on social media ahead of her release from hospital on Friday.
"First of all, I am okay!! I am incredibly sore and exhausted. Being tackled by that large man I would compare to a minor car accident. My head and neck hit pretty hard so it was really scary. My whole body feels like it was hit by a truck.
"Second, it was so fast. I didn't remember until 2am seeing the ball come toward me. It was a blur. To the crazies that think Jason should have protected me - if he had had time to react, so would have I. Also, I would not have liked both dudes landing on me. Lebron is huge and had such momentum he could not have stopped!!
"Third, people are saying it's a money grab or some crap which is obviously absurd. Much like attending a golf event and risking getting hit with a ball, sitting court side you risk getting run into. I would never make anything more of it. They're huge men doing their job. I was stabilised because I smashed my neck and head and obviously it was with great force."
Day said she was relieved the circumstances were not different. Having given birth just five weeks ago, she might have had new daughter Lucy with her, or three-year-old son Dash.
She said: "Last, I am touched by the insane outpouring of support and those of you covering me in prayer. It could have been so much worse. I am thankful for so many things. One, that I didn't have Lucy on my chest in her carrier, and that I wasn't still pregnant.
"Also that Dash wasn't with us. Also that [nanny] Amy had my babies and got them to me at the hospital so I could feed little Lucy. It was my biggest concern when I came out of it. And that's the end of my story. Much love to all of you."
