A mother of three who suffered a broken neck when she was struck by a 3,000-pound tree in New York’s Central Park is filing a $200 million lawsuit against the city.
Anne Monoky, 39, suffered the severe injuries when she was out walking with her three young sons back in August.
Monoky was pushing two of her sons, Will, 4, and Grant, 2, in a stroller and had her newborn James strapped to her chest in a carrier when the elm tree fell on them.
Her lawyers are filing the $200 million lawsuit against the city and the companies responsible for maintaining the trees on Monday.
Anne Monoky, 39, broke her neck when she was hit by the falling 3,000 pound tree while she was out walking with her three young sons in New York’s Central Park last August
Monoky told ABC News that two of her four neck fractures have since healed, but doctors say the former marathon runner remains at risk of becoming a quadriplegic.
‘I can’t fall and I can’t do, you know, anything outside, I have to be really careful,’ she said.
Monoky, who works as an editor for fashion brand Tory Burch, said her doctors have said she will stop breathing if something jarring happens to her.
Her two-year-old son suffered a head fracture during the ordeal, but her other two sons remarkably did not suffer any major injuries.
Monoky, who was pinned under the tree for 10 minutes before she was freed, said she doesn’t remember much of the incident.
‘It was, like, a beautiful sunny day. I went to the park and that’s all I remember,’ she said.
The massive tree fell on Monoky and her three boys while they were walking in Central Park. Monoky was trapped for 10 minutes until first responders were able to free her
Monoky was pushing two of her sons, Will, 4, and Grant, 2, in a stroller and had her newborn James strapped to her chest in a carrier. She is pictured above with husband Curt Goldman
‘The next thing I know I was in the ICU.
‘I actually don’t think of myself in it all. I’m more worried about my kids and what they’ve been through.
‘You know, they went in the ambulance by themselves. It’s scary. They were little. I just am worried about them.’
Witnesses described seeing the tree fall and then hearing a baby’s screams.
Monoky was fading in and out of consciousness when first responders arrived.
She is believed to have hit her head trying to shield her three children from the branches.
The injuries she suffered meant Monoky was unable to breastfeed or pick up her newborn son for several months.
Monoky, above with her husband, said two of her four neck fractures have since healed, but doctors say the former marathon runner remains at risk of becoming a quadriplegic
The mother’s lawyers are filing the $200 million lawsuit against the city and the companies responsible for maintaining the trees on Monday