Artist Who Had Legs Amputated After Falling on NYC Subway Tracks Contracts COVID-19

Australian artist Visaya Hoffie, who lost both her legs in a subway accident, has contracted COVID-19. Hoffie, 23, fell onto the tracks at Manhattan’s 14th Street Union Square station on Jan. 11 and was hit by one train, leaving her unconscious on the tracks for 20 minutes before she was hit by a second train. She was in New York’s Bellevue Hospital for three months, just as the coronavirus was sweeping through the city. In early April, her mother was finally able to carefully escort her home to Brisbane via three flights costing $64,000 and taking 38 hours. By the time they arrived home, Hoffie had developed coronavirus symptoms and tested positive. Her mother, Pat, said Hoffie had mild symptoms and had been incredibly positive despite her double amputation. “She’s just so resilient, so funny, so open to taking on the next hurdle,” she told Australia’s ABC.