Sam Kerr has broken his silence after his grandmother was hit by a ute on Friday.
Coral Kerr, 89, is believed to have been getting off a bus in the suburb of Palmyra at around 11am when the incident took place.
The driver jumped onto the curb in an attempt to overtake the bus before hitting the 89-year-old man.
The incident occurred a few meters from Coral’s house. She was later rushed to Royal Perth Hospital in a critical condition, where she underwent surgery for a fractured femur, ankle and hip. It is understood she also suffered a concussion during the accident.
A 63-year-old man has been charged with one count of dangerous driving causing serious bodily injury following the incident and is due to appear in Fremantle Magistrates Court in Western Australia on February 4.
Kerr and her father, Roger, had flown to New South Wales to celebrate the marriage of her Matildas teammate Emily Van Egmond and her partner Kat Thompson.
It is understood the couple found out the news at the wedding reception and subsequently flew back to Perth. Kerr, along with her parents Roger and Roxanne, were met at Perth Airport by her brother Daniel.
Sam Kerr is pictured with his beloved grandmother Coral Kerr, who is in a serious but stable condition in hospital after being hit by a car near her home in Perth on Friday.
The ute allegedly drove down the pavement in an attempt to overtake the bus, where it collided with a power pole before hitting Ms Kerr.
The Chelsea striker took to social media to thank her fans for their support following the incident.
In heartbreaking circumstances for the Kerr family, the incident took place at the same intersection where Coral’s husband Denzil, a former featherweight boxer, was tragically hit by a car and killed 20 years ago, according to 9News.
Kerr later took to Instagram to thank fans on social media for their support.
‘Thank you for all the messages, love and prayers for my nan x,’ the Chelsea player posted on her Instagram story.
Coral’s neighbor, Mary Ivey, recounted the moment the incident occurred.
“She was on one side of the road and he was on the other, so it’s a really tragic set of circumstances,” said neighbor Mary Ivey.
After coming to her aid, Ivey said, “She started to come to her senses and recognized me.”
“And (she) was able to talk to us and let us know, you know, that she was suffering.”
Kerr’s father Roger was unable to give an update on his mother’s situation after arriving in Perth, but said his daughter was left shaken by the incident.
At the time, Kerr was at Matildas teammate Emily van Egmond’s wedding to her father Roger when she heard about the incident.
Kerr returned to Perth to meet his family after the incident and is said to have traveled straight to hospital to see his grandmother.
Kerr (second from left) was pictured alongside teammate Kristie Mewis (left), as well as Arsenal star Katie McCabe (second from right) and Caitlin Foord (right) at Van Egmond’s wedding.
“She’s a little surprised,” Roger told reporters, speaking of his daughter Sam.
“She has gone straight there to see her grandmother and we will follow her.”
Footage of the incident shows the van that allegedly hit Kerr’s grandmother suffered extensive damage to the hood after it reportedly crashed into a power pole before hitting Coral.
The news comes after the Chelsea striker and her partner Kristie Mewis, who plays for West Ham, announced that they were expecting a baby.
They had returned to Perth to celebrate Christmas with Kerr’s family earlier this month.
Kerr is currently sidelined until approximately March 2025 as he recovers from an ACL injury.
The 31-year-old and her father posed for photos alongside Mewis, Katie McCabe and Caitlin Foord during Van Egmond’s wedding ceremony on Friday.