Ponca City Woman Continues to Fight For Life After Motocross Accident

A Ponca City mother of three is currently on life support following a tragic accident during a motocross event earlier this month. Chelsea VanZandt, 33, was flagging at a race in Ponca City on Oct. 5 when she was struck by a motorcycle that lost control.

“She was doing something that she absolutely loved,” said Nicki Carriere, VanZandt’s mother.

Carriere says while that does give her comfort, seeing her daughter in the hospital was something she never expected to see.

“It’s hard to sit in there and watch this baby in bed,” she said.

VanZandt, an experienced flagger who loved motocross, was doing exactly what she had trained for when the incident occurred. Family members say she was in a safety tower when the racer slammed into the stand, hitting her in the head and causing her to fall to the floor.

“I’ve been told by numerous people she was doing exactly the way she was trained. She was doing everything the right way,” Carriere said.

VanZandt’s fiance and her three children have been by her side since the accident and the family remains hopeful.

“She is a strong, stubborn child,” Carriere said. “Let me tell you, we are praying.”

In the wake of the accident, the motocross company says VanZandt is a beloved employee and expressed its concern for her recovery. A spokesperson called the incident a “freak accident” and stated that the organization would conduct a thorough investigation to determine what happened and whether any safety measures need to be changed.

The family asks the community to rally around VanZandt by praying or sending cards to the hospital. Those cards can be sent to Wesley Medical Center, 550 N Hillside, SICU 19, Wichita, KS, 67214.

“Ultimately, in the end, there’s only one real person that’s actually going to help this child get through this,” Carriere said. “And He’s the one that has guided her through the toughest part of her life, and that’s God.”

The family is raising money for her recovery. CLICK HERE to donate.