SEATTLE — “I’m a runner at heart, been a runner my whole life and that’s my love, that’s my passion,” said Lesley Mettler Auld, who doesn’t know if she’ll ever be able to run again.
Nearly three years ago, the ultrarunner, triathlete and fitness coach – who has competed in more than 200 races around the world – was taking a simple walk to meet a client, when she slipped on a steep, wet sidewalk in the Queen Anne neighborhood.
“it was just banana peels. I was instantly on the ground, sitting on my calves. My legs were under me and it’s like popcorn was popping. I just heard all these pops,” said Auld.
Auld ruptured both quadriceps and tore knee ligaments.
She ended up in full leg braces, has had five surgeries and may need more.
The 53-year-old is still on crutches and sometimes has to crawl up the stairs in her house.
“At this point, they’re saying I need a knee replacement, but the risks of that are very high, the possibility of amputation is high. I’m still exploring what that next avenue is,” said Auld.
After filing a lawsuit against the City of Seattle and the owners of the apartment building next to the sidewalk, a jury just awarded Auld $13.1 million.
“No amount of money gives me my life back, no amount of money equates to quality of life. Of all the hurdles I know that are ahead, medically and just the future and the fear of that, I would gladly pay that amount of money just to be able to run again,” said Auld.
The sloped sidewalk often has water running over it, causing algae to grow, making it slippery.
Caution signs were recently posted.
But Auld’s attorney says the city knew for a long time it was a problem.
“We asked why haven’t the powers that be intervened, when they knew people were getting hurt, and the response was ‘the City Council doesn’t think it’s important enough,’” said attorney Ray Dearie.
KIRO 7 was told the owner of the apartment building will have to pay a little more than half of the $13.1 million, with the city paying the rest.
“I just don’t want someone else to fall there and live through this nightmare,” said Auld.
KIRO 7 reached out to the Seattle City Attorney’s Office, which declined to comment on the lawsuit or efforts to fix the sidewalk.