Niki Taylor Goes Home

Wed., Jul. 18, 2001 2:00 PM PDT by Josh Grossberg

It's been a tough run for Niki Taylor, but two and a half months after nearly dying in a car crash, the supermodel has finally returned home.

Taylor, who checked out of Atlanta's Grady Memorial Hospital Tuesday after getting the all-clear from her doctors, flew back to her native Florida, where she will begin extensive physical therapy, according to her manager.

In a statement, the 26-year-old fashionista thanked the hospital staff that cared for her throughout her ordeal.

"Words cannot express the gratitude in my heart for Dr. [Jeffrey] Nicholas and everyone at Grady who worked so hard to save my life. I am very grateful," Taylor said in a statement.

Taylor was released from Grady on June 26 and had been staying in an undisclosed nearby rehabilitation center before being readmitted July 6 so doctors could drain a build-up of fluid from her liver, publicist, Lou Taylor (no relation) said Wednesday.

One of the world's top runway stars, Taylor was hospitalized in critical condition April 29 after sustaining severe internal injuries when the car she was riding in struck a utility pole. The driver, Taylor's friend James Renegar, told police he lost control of his 1993 Nissan Maxima on an Atlanta off-ramp when he looked down to answer his cell phone.

Renegar and another passenger, John Lack, were treated for minor scrapes and released shortly after the wreck. Taylor, who was wearing her seatbelt at the time, initially seemed unhurt, but later began experiencing intense abdominal pain and was rushed to the hospital.

After doctors performed risky surgery to repair damage to her lungs and liver, Taylor's condition was upgraded and she was taken off an artificial respirator in mid-May.

The leggy blonde, who's the mother of twin 6-year-old boys, Jake and Hunter, had been in Atlanta visiting friends for the weekend and was about to fly back to her home in Davie, Florida, to begin acting lessons. Since the accident, her sons have been with their father, Taylor's ex-husband Matt Martinez.

To give something back to the people who saved her life, Taylor's publicist says the supermodel plans to hold a celebrity benefit to help raise funds for the hospital.