Victor Bernardo And Wife Hospitalised After Serious Car Accident
The couple remain in hospital as they begin their long road to recovery.
Support Victor and Johnni’s Long Road to Recovery
Victor Bernardo and his wife Johnni were involved in a serious car accident on Sunday, August 17.
The news came from Logan “Chucky” Dulien, a close friend of Victor’s who has also collaborated with the Brazilian on the Snapt series.
On Instagram, he wrote:
Please keep @victorbernard0 and his wife @jbuff9 in your prayers . On Sunday night they were in a very serious car accident that easily could have been fatal but by the grace of god are still with us . Victor was airlifted to the hospital and his wife Johnni was taken in by ambulance . They are currently both still in the hospital preparing Victor for surgery and doing there best to improve his wife’s condition . It’s going to be a very long and expensive road to recovery but Im confident the surf community will rally together to support and uplift them on the challenging journey ahead . for now just put out positive thoughts , love , prayers and healing energy for them both
Below Logan’s post followed a roll call of the surfing world, with elite surfers, filmmakers, and friends sending their love and well wishes.
Speaking to O Globo, Victor’s manager, Mike Townsend, said Victor and Johnni were travelling south on California’s Interstate 5, returning from a trip to Catalina Island, when their vehicle collided with a truck around 10:45 PM. No further details of the accident were divulged, but some images of the car the couple were travelling in were shared.
Due to the severity of their injuries, Victor was airlifted to an emergency trauma centre, while Johnni was taken by ambulance. They are both now in the ICU.
Victor suffered a leg fracture and a severe wound above the knee. Initially, doctors fitted an external frame to stabilise the limb. It was later removed, a development that, according to Townsend, may point to a more favourable recovery.
Before one of the surgeries, performed last Wednesday, the doctor treating the Brazilian made a reference to his return to surfing.
“Let’s get this guy back in the water,” he told Townsend, who later relayed the comment to O Globo.
Johnni was also seriously injured. She suffered internal bleeding in the abdomen and facial fractures, both of which required surgery. Yet even injured, Johnni managed to call Townsend and others close to the couple from the scene of the accident, alerting them to what had happened.
Victor and Johnni will undergo more surgeries in the months ahead, along with medication and rehabilitation. For now, they remain in hospital, with no discharge date in sight.
A fundraiser was created to help alleviate the couple’s financial burden during their journey to recovery. “Any amount of financial support in covering their living expenses (rent, car payments, meals, cat food, and medical procedures) would be extremely appreciated during this difficult time,” the accompanying text reads.
Our thoughts are with Victor and Johnni, and we wish them both a full recovery.
Support Victor and Johnni’s Long Road to Recovery
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