KFC employee who was feared mind lifeless takes first steps after waking

A KFC worker who miraculously survived a suicide attempt has taken her first steps since the incident which left her in a coma.

Emma Price attempted to take her own life in July after allegedly being bullied while working at the fast food company’s branch in Pitsea, Essex.

Emma, 32, was placed in a coma and declared brain dead before waking up – but has since begun to recover and has taken her first shuffling steps with help.

Her family are now growing more confident that Emma will be able to return home in the coming months.

Mother Samantha Day, 56, said: ‘Her speech is coming along much better, it is near on perfect and that is a really good bit of progress.

KFC team leader Emma Price (pictured) was in an induced coma after overdosing on painkiller medication having twice complained to managers that she was being treated unfairly

Emma (pictured), a ‘homey’ animal-lover, reached out to the mental health charity MIND and was due to have her first appointment with them on Monday, July 15

‘She can feed herself but she does have a right-side weakness.

‘Getting dressed she needs help and to get washed, everything else, including walking, is progressing at least.

‘She is taking a couple steps and she can stand by herself. It’s more of a shuffle but she is getting there.

‘We hope she will walk, she can take a couple of steps and that is more than we expected.’

Emma can now speak but is yet to walk unaided and has faced difficulties with her memory as a result of brain damage.

Ms Day added: ‘She has some short term memory loss where she can’t quite remember what she’s said or just done.

‘We have told her she’s damaged her brain and she might not be able to do the things she’s done before.

‘But she’s doing so much better. Thinking to where we were two months ago to now, we are so happy.’

Ms Price had told her family that she was being overworked while other staff members did nothing and that she caught them talking about her behind her back.

She said she was told she was ‘causing trouble’ and would regularly come home crying from the stress of being over-worked.

Emma, a ‘homey’ animal-lover, reached out to the mental health charity MIND and was due to have her first appointment with them on July 15.

Emma’s family, Essex, said her first words to them when waking from a coma were: ‘hi mum, hi dad’

David Price (pictured with his daughter Emma) said ‘he is taking tiny steps down a long road to recovery’

However, just days before the appointment, Emma took an overdose and suffered a stroke and brain damage as a result.

Emma’s mum Samantha claims KFC have not been in contact with them about her recovery but the fast food chain insists it has spoken to them.

KFC said an ‘urgent’ investigation has been launched into the incident, and that maintaining a ‘safe and inclusive’ working environment is essential for the business.

A KFC spokesperson said: ‘What Emma and her family have been through is devastating, and our thoughts are still with them as she recovers.

‘Ensuring an inclusive working environment is our utmost priority, and we take the safety and wellbeing of our people extremely seriously.

‘We’ve had contact with Emma’s family since the incident and during her recovery, and these allegations are being fully investigated through a formal process, which is still underway.’

For help and support, call the Samaritans for free from a UK phone, completely anonymously, on 116 123 or go to samaritans.org.