Woman Struck in Head by Falling Tree During Walk, Says One Foot Could Have Changed Everything

Nina Lunn, 42, was walking through Allestree Park in Derby, England, on Sunday, October 25, when Storm Boelo brought winds exceeding 50 mph to the area. The teaching assistant had gone out for a short walk during her birthday weekend.

Lunn knew the weather was bad and deliberately avoided walking through the woods. She believed staying on the marked paths would keep her away from falling branches, but the precaution wasn’t enough.

The impact from a falling tree knocked her to the ground, leaving her with a bleeding head wound and a concussion. She later learned just how close she had come to suffering a far worse injury.

Too Late to Move

Lunn was talking to a friend through her headphones at around 11 a.m. when she heard a loud crack behind her. She turned to see what had happened, but part of a tree she had just passed was already falling toward her.

The trunk struck her head, knocking her down and sending her headphones flying. Blood began running down her face, and she struggled to understand what had happened.

“My teeth shattered together. Then I could just feel the blood dripping down my face. I panicked,” she told the BBC.

Lunn managed to retrieve her phone and call for help from the friend she had been speaking with. She pressed her fleece sleeve against her head to slow the bleeding while a woman pushing a stroller stopped to assist.

That encounter made the timing even more frightening. Lunn realized the falling tree might have struck the other woman and her baby if it had snapped just 30 seconds earlier.

Speaking to Sell Us Your Story, as reported by the New York Post, Lunn said moving just a foot in either direction could have placed her beneath the falling trunk.

Returning to the Hospital

Lunn received treatment at Royal Derby Hospital, where medical staff used glue to close the wound on her head. She was initially discharged but returned the following day after experiencing additional problems.

Her symptoms included swelling around her face and the left side of her head, blurred vision, and high blood pressure. She also continued to experience headaches following the impact.

Hospital staff were surprised she had escaped more serious injuries. A Royal Derby Hospital spokesperson told the BBC that staff were pleased to hear she was recovering after such a frightening experience.

By Tuesday, Lunn felt well enough to attempt another walk. However, she became nervous about going outside and decided to spend the rest of her half-term holiday recovering instead.

A Deadly Storm

Lunn wasn’t the only person struck by a falling tree during Storm Boelo. According to BBC reporting on the storm, two men died in separate tree-related incidents on October 25.

A man in his 20s died after a falling tree struck his car in north London. Earlier that day, a 60-year-old man was killed by a tree near Castle Douglas in Scotland.

The storm also caused widespread power outages, flooding, and travel disruption across the United Kingdom.

The Met Office advises people to stay indoors when possible during severe winds. Anyone who must go outside should avoid walking or taking shelter near trees and buildings, where falling debris can cause injuries.

For Lunn, the experience has changed how she feels about a routine activity she has enjoyed since childhood. Two days after the accident, she returned to look at the fallen tree and was frightened by its size.

She told the New York Post that she was still dealing with headaches and blurred vision but was improving each day.