'Acting as a Good Samaritan to save teenager's life has cost me £10,000'

'Acting as a Good Samaritan to save teenager's life has cost me £10,000' Ruth Forbes, a personal trainer from Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, needs a partial knee replacement surgery to treat an injury she said she suffered when acting as a Good Samaritan A personal trainer who stepped in to stop a teenager running into a busy road says her act of kindness has left her facing a £10,000 surgery bill and struggling to earn a living. Ruth Forbes, 43, was walking along a high street when she spotted a teenager who appeared to be drunk and was about to run into traffic. Wanting to prevent the girl from being hit by a car, Ruth grabbed hold of her. But she claims the teenager lashed out and kicked her in the face, sending her falling backwards and injuring her left knee. The personal trainer, from Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, initially thought she had simply twisted her knee, limped back to her car, iced the injury at home and hoped the pain would eventually subside. But her knee never recovered, leaving her struggling with constant pain and unable to bend or fully straighten her leg. After visiting her GP around one month later, Ruth was referred to a physiotherapist. An X-ray subsequently revealed painful "bone-on-bone" arthritis in the outer part of her knee, with doctors reportedly telling her the injury had caused the cartilage to wear away. Ruth says she has been told a partial knee replacement is her only option. However, she expects to have to pay for the operation privately because of NHS waiting times, with the procedure potentially costing up to £10,000. Despite the ordeal, she insists she has no regrets about stepping in to help the teenager. Ruth said: "She was either drunk or on something. I just wanted to help so she didn't get hit by a car. "She chinned me and I fell back. She didn't mean it. I started to walk off and realised my left knee was quite sore. I thought I had just twisted it. "I stood up and couldn't put my weight on that leg. I couldn't straighten my leg, so I limped to my car. I iced it and thought it was going to be okay, but my knee never got better. It's this constant pain. I don't have a day now when I'm not in pain." Ruth said she already had arthritis before the incident, but believes the injury caused the remaining cartilage in her knee to wear away, leaving the bones rubbing directly against each other. She said: "I helped and ended up in this state. I tend not to think about the incident or I start thinking if it's my fault. But I would still do it again. I wouldn't walk past someone in need. I'm not built like that, I'm not that person. I was trying to be a Good Samaritan. "When I got the X-ray, I was told my knee had arthritis in it. I had arthritis before, but the injury apparently took away any cartilage I had, so now I have 'bone-on-bone' arthritis. "I saw the consultant and a partial knee replacement is my only option. I can't straighten it or bend it properly and need an MRI scan to see what is going on internally." The injury has also had a devastating impact on Ruth's career as a self-employed personal trainer. Although she has managed to continue working some hours with existing clients, she says she cannot safely demonstrate exercises to new customers, making it difficult to grow her business. She had to stop working for around six weeks because she could barely stand and has been unable to train for a competition she had planned to enter in November. Ruth said: "I'm a self-employed personal trainer. If I ask the client to do something, I can't demonstrate. I don't want them getting it wrong and getting injured. "It's how I make my living and that's been affected. I can't demonstrate a squat to somebody and that's heartbreaking to me. I was meant to compete in November and I can't do that. "It does affect your headspace. It's like an aching pain. If I step on it too much or step the wrong way, it's like a sharp pain. I can still do some of my work, but I can't do it to the best of my ability. My clients are lovely and very understanding. "I couldn't work for a month-and-a-half because I could barely stand. I can't afford to not work. I've built a relationship with my clients, but if I get someone new, it's hard to get new business if I can't show them how to do it." A GoFundMe fundraiser has been set up by Ruth to help cover the cost of her surgery and living expenses while she recovers. To donate, click this link.