Kentucky native, actress, activist and United Nation’s Goodwill Ambassador Ashley Judd is in an ICU trauma unit in South Africa after suffering a bad fall in the Congo.
Posted on Instagram by her friend, journalist Nicholas Kristof
Judd, 55, was there doing bonobo conservation work in a remote research camp when she shattered her leg. It took a harrowing 55 hours to get from the rainforest to the hospital, according to news reports.
She finally had surgery to save her right leg and — saying she believes in modern science and miracles — vows to walk again.
According to reports, she spent five hours on the forest floor without medication and passing out while she waited for help to arrive. From there she took a six-hour ride on a motorbike, then a bush plane and ultimately was flown to a hospital in South Africa.
Daughter of Michael Ciminella and singer Naomi Judd, she is facing a long recovery and intensive physical therapy.
She also told reporters that she understands she is “privileged” — that if the same thing had happened to one of the Congolese, there would have been no options. They would likely have lost their leg — and probably their life.
She was able to pay someone to get her out of the rainforest.
Judd posted this on Instagram:
A bonobo (Photo from Wikipedia)
Bonobos, according to Wikipedia, are pygmy chimpanzees, an endangered great ape. They are distinguished by long legs, pink lips, dark face, a tail-tuft through adulthood and parted long hair on their heads. They are found in the Congo Basin.
Judd was at the Kokolopori Bonobo Research Project Camp.
She called for donations to Friends of United Nation Population Fund where’s she’s raising funds for life-saving maternal health services for pregnant women, new mothers and newborns in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
