Riley Chervinski is eternally thankful she escaped more serious injuries when a truck hit her a year ago, but this week she's feeling more fortunate than ever.

On Tuesday, a 41-year-old man was pronounced dead after he was struck by a car a week earlier, just blocks from where Chervinski had her femur snapped on March 29, 2018.

"It was just … eerily similar," Chervinski said. "I thought it was really spooky because of the anniversary of my accident coming up."

The man, whose name has not been released by police, was struck during the afternoon rush hour on March 20, while crossing Osborne Street at Morley Avenue.

He was rushed to hospital in critical condition, but didn't recover.

I'm going to take a moment for some self-reflection about how lucky I've been. This week, in particular, has made me feel very lucky. - Riley Chervinski

Chervinski, 26, was crossing Osborne at Brandon Avenue, some 350 metres from that other intersection.

She had the walk signal and right-of-way but a truck turning left onto Osborne from Brandon didn't see her.

Chervinski heard a woman behind her yell "watch out" then looked up and saw the truck coming at her. All she recalls after that is waking up, lying face up on Osborne during the morning rush hour.

"I don't remember it happening at all," she said. "I think I was just in a lot of shock. There wasn't a ton of pain. It felt like intense muscle cramping."

An x-ray from March 29, 2018, shows Chervinski's broken left femur. (Submitted by Riley Chervinski)

She was surrounded by people, including the truck driver. He was apologetic and nice, said Chervinski, noting the man was never charged because what happened was deemed an accident.

She was told by paramedics it was a good thing the vehicle was a truck rather than a car. The impact was higher up, so it made for a clean fracture right in the middle of her femur. A lower injury could have made for life-altering injuries around the knee.

"I feel so lucky not to have a head injury, I just kept thinking that," Chervinski said.

She had surgery to get pins in the knee and a metal rod that will never come out. She was in hospital for a week then spent the next 2½ months in a wheelchair and on crutches.

To this day, Chervinski is still going to physiotherapy because of lingering knee problems.

'Be a little more careful'

The anniversary of her accident comes at a time when there is a heightened awareness about pedestrian safety in Winnipeg.

On March 18, two days before the 41-year-old man was hit, a mother and four-year-old girl were struck by a vehicle in a crosswalk at Isabel Street and Alexander Avenue.

The girl, Galila, died the next day. The mother, Genet, remains in critical but stable condition in hospital.

Chervinski was either on crutches or in a wheelchair for 2½ months after being hit by a truck. (Submitted by Riley Chervinski)

And on March 21, a pedestrian was hit around 8:30 a.m. CT near Confusion Corner. Winnipeg police said they were not called to the scene so no information was available on any injuries.

Chervinski believes something must be done to make things safer for pedestrians but doesn't believe there's an easy solution.

"There's a lot of logistics but every situation is unique," she said.

"A lot of people have talked about removing street parking on Osborne so that cars aren't darting in and out so much. People have said maybe add more crosswalks or safer crosswalks. I don't know.

"I just want people to be a little more careful — both pedestrians and drivers. It's disheartening to hear about it happening so often."

Chervinski said she feels she "did everything right" the day she was crossing Osborne.

"I had the right-of-way to cross. There were other people crossing with me. I checked both ways," she said, noting the latter measure was drilled into her by a "worry-wart" dad.

"I've always been really good at that. I did make sure all the traffic on Osborne had stopped."

I just want people to be a little more careful — both pedestrians and drivers. It's disheartening to hear about it happening so often. - Riley Chervinski

She didn't think much of vehicles turning across from her. At the time she was listening to a podcast but said she wasn't tuned out to the world around her. She heard the woman yell to her.

"I get the argument to not have anything in your ear but I walk an hour to work, trying to be green and get exercise," Chervinski said.

"My walk is an hour, so I'm listening to something. It wasn't listening to super loud music. I was still pretty aware."

She said she chose to live in South Osborne because "it is very walkable" to the village, downtown and The Forks.

"I'm trying to not take my car when I don't have to," she said, adding that during those times she does drive now, she has become hyper sensitive to pedestrians.

Similarly, when she walks, "I'm triple checking now. I kind of look ridiculous, like I'm always craning my neck, making eye contact with all the drivers."

As for the one-year anniversary on Friday of her accident, Chervinski intends to mark it with friends but to also take some time by herself to think.

"I'm going to take a moment for some self-reflection about how lucky I've been," she said. "This week, in particular, has made me feel very lucky."

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