Retired Jockey Elena Struthers-Gardner Dies After Impaling Herself In Eye With Metal Straw

60-year-old Elena Struthers-Gardner was carrying mason-jar style drinking glass with a screw-top lid in her home in Poole, Dorset when she collapsed. She fell onto the metal drinking straw and impaled her left eye socket with the 10-inch stainless steel straw, that pierced through her brain.

Assistant coroner Brendan Allen said no alcohol was detected in the urine sample so intoxication was ruled out as cause of the falling accident.

Elena’s wife of four years, Mandy Struthers-Gardner, said that Elena had multiple fractures in her spine and is prone to falling over. The incident damaged Elena’s brain stem, which controls breathing.

Mandy, who was at home when the incident happened, said she did not hear the fall, but found Elena lying on her front and making gurgling sounds. When she turned Elena over, she saw that the straw had penetrated through her left eye.

“I went to the kitchen door and could see Lena lying on her front at the doorway between the den and the kitchen,” Mandy said. “Her glass cup was lying on the floor still intact and the straw was still in the jar. I noticed the straw was sticking into her head.”

Mandy then contacted 999 to request for an ambulance. Elena was rushed to the hospital but she died the next day.

Detective Inspector Wayne Seymour, who conducted an investigation into Elena’s death, described the case as very unusual. He said that the medical staff had not yet seen such an injury.

The incident nonetheless prompted warnings about the dangers of using metal straws. Eco-friendly straws have become increasingly popular in recent years as people shun single-use plastic straws to fight against plastic pollution.

Use of metal straws comes with potential risks particularly when used by children or mobility-challenged individuals like Elena.

Allen said that these metal straws should never be used with lids that fix them in place, and they should be used with great care.

“If someone does fall on one and it’s pointed in the wrong direction, serious injury can occur,” Allen said. “It seems the main problem here is if the lid hadn’t been in place the straw would have moved away.”