The wife of the Montana State University Rodeo team’s head coach suffered life-changing injuries in a freak horse incident this week.
The Montana State University (MSU) Rodeo shared on Facebook on Monday, May 4, that Presley Whitaker, wife of MSU Rodeo coach Kyle Whitaker, was hospitalized following “a bad horse accident.”
MSU Rodeo said that Presley was “stable’ and “in surgery,” but was “looking at a long road to recovery.”
Kyle explained more details about the incident in his own Facebook post on Tuesday, May 5, saying that his wife Presley had gotten a rope “wrapped around her arm” and was dragged by a horse.
He said this resulted in her hitting a fence, “which broke her jaw and severed her hand.”
Kyle said she was flown to Salt Lake City in an attempt to “reattach her hand,” but there had been too much damage taken up to that point. He said that she would remain in the hospital “for a few more days to have surgery on her jaw and more work on the amputation.”
“She will need prayers of support and strength as she adjusts to not having her right hand,” Kyle wrote on Facebook, adding that he still needed to break the news to their two children, Oakley and Mesa.
“Thank you for your prayers and words of encouragement. It’s going to be a tough road but with all of you in our corner I know we can adjust and still have a good life,” he concluded his message.
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The news comes after what should have been a celebratory time for the Bobcats coach, as MSU Rodeo also announced that Kyle was named “Big Sky Coach of the Year” over the weekend.
“An incredible honor that goes hand in hand with an outstanding several years of Bobcat Rodeo domination and commitment to our team and their success, as well as year round effort to help each athlete be their best. Congratulations!,” the team shared on Facebook.
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Despite the happy news, they also asked the community to keep Kyle’s family “in their prayers.” They also re-shared a Facebook post about an official fundraising page being put together to support the family.
A GoFundMe has also been started to raise funds for the Whitaker family’s expenses as Presley continues her recovery in the hospital. The page has so far raised over $6,400 of a $14,000 goal.
