Teacher Paralyzed in Brutal Attack by Boyfriend Makes Remarkable Progress After Months in Hospital
Trudi Burgess, 57, remains hooked up to a range of medical wires, tubes, and machines as she continues her recovery in hospital after being paralyzed in a brutal attack by her boyfriend, Robert Easom, 56. The devastating incident occurred when Ms. Burgess tried to leave Easom, who allegedly broke her neck after years of domestic abuse.
The former teacher underwent a grueling nine-hour surgery to stabilize her spine and spent three months in intensive care at The Royal Preston Hospital. Doctors feared she might never breathe unaided. Despite the severity of her injuries, Ms. Burgess has made remarkable progress and is preparing to leave the spinal injuries unit, where she has been undergoing intensive rehabilitation.
Her family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover the cost of her ongoing care. Her son Jackson said:
“Our goal is to make sure the rest of her life is as safe, dignified, and stable as possible. She will need a fully accessible home, specialist equipment, a powered wheelchair, a wheelchair-accessible vehicle, ongoing therapy, and 24-hour care. She’ll need help with every part of daily living.”
In less than 24 hours, more than £22,000 has been raised
Easom, a landscape gardener, was recently convicted at Preston Crown Court of deliberately breaking Ms. Burgess’s neck. The jury took just 27 minutes to find him guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent. He had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of assault and controlling and coercive behavior. He is due to be sentenced in February and faces life in prison.
During the trial, Ms. Burgess described her injuries in a video-recorded statement to the jury:
“I feel nothing from my chest down. My legs feel like cold cement slabs, my body feels constrained by a suit of armour two sizes too small. My hands are numb, I cannot pick anything up or move them properly.”
Despite her devastating injuries, she maintains hope:
“You’ve got to hold on to hope, because he’s taken away many pleasures in my life, especially playing with my granddaughter. I can’t make cookies with her, I can’t turn pages of a book. My life’s been pretty much ruined, and I’m devastated for my children.”
The court heard that Ms. Burgess was emotionally vulnerable after the death of her husband, Craig, from a brain tumor when she met Easom in 2017. What began as a loving relationship gradually turned abusive.
On February 17 this year, Ms. Burgess finally tried to leave. The following morning, while at Easom’s home, she refused to cook her usual Monday dinner. In a fit of rage, Easom allegedly pushed her head down repeatedly, breaking her neck. Ms. Burgess described the moment in court:
“I felt my neck break. I started going numb. I thought I was going to die.”
Easom initially denied the severity of her injuries and called emergency services with a false account, claiming she had fallen out of bed. He also misled police, claiming it was a “playfight gone wrong.”
Ms. Burgess continues her rehabilitation, supported by her family and the community, and her resilience has been widely praised as she works toward regaining independence.
