Fans are sending thoughts and prayers to Judi Evans (Adrienne Kiriakis, Days of our Lives), who was seriously injured in a horseback riding accident and has been recovering in the hospital.
According to a rep for the actress, Evans was out horseback riding on Saturday, May 16, when her horse uncharacteristically started nipping at her feet. The actress didn't know why but soon realized that she was being followed by some men -- and her horse might have been trying to warn her of possible danger.
Says Evans' rep, "She then took [the horse] on a different trail, then he got spooked, bolted then she fell off the horse and broke many bones and some ribs." In fact, Evans sustained seven broken ribs, a broken collarbone, two chipped vertebrae, and a collapsed lung from blunt force trauma.
Fortunately, some other riders came along shortly after her accident and called for help. She was transferred to a nearby hospital, where she reportedly remains in recovery. At press time, there was no information as to when she might be released.
Evans stepped into the role of DAYS' Adrienne in 1986. Fans of the NBC soap opera were gobsmacked when the character died as part of the show's time jump story that kicked off last November, bringing her 33-year run on the series to an end. Fortunately, the actress' long-time costar Wally Kurth (Justin Kiriakis) took to social media at the end of January to reveal that it wasn't the last that fans had seen of the actress.
"Rest assured, Judi Evans is coming back," Kurth tweeted -- though he didn't spill the beans on if she'll be back as Adrienne; her other Salem alter ego, Bonnie Lockhart; or someone else entirely.
In addition to DAYS, some of Evans' other soap opera credits include As the World Turns' Maeve Stone, Another World's Paulina Carlino, and Guiding Light's Beth Raines -- the latter role being the one for which she won a Daytime Emmy Award in the Outstanding Supporting Actress category.
UPDATE (May 28, 2020): According to a rep for Evans, doctors discovered the actress had developed a potentially life-threatening blood clot in one of her lungs.
"[I] spoke to her yesterday and she is still in the hospital. She has been scheduled for surgery on her ribs and lung since Tuesday but it keeps getting pushed back," the rep told Soaps. "Her spirits are good but she’s been there almost two weeks now she is getting restless." The rep adds that the actress knows that fans have been rooting for her and asking after her. "She appreciates the prayers and support!"
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