The last thing Kelly James remembers before she woke in hospital was a blissful afternoon on the bow of a boat, watching frolicking dolphins.
In her first interview since she was crushed by a 300kg dolphin, Ms James said she was in "heaven" moments before the freak accident.
Ms James, 28, was on the bow of a boat off the Coromandel Peninsula on Boxing Day last year when the 3m bottlenose dolphin leapt out of the water and hit her.
Ms James' boyfriend Dion Lawson told Woman's Day he thought she was dead as she lay unconscious, frothing at the mouth.
Her injuries included a broken rib and pelvis and punctured lungs.
Ms James was airlifted to hospital in Auckland in critical condition and needed a blood transfusion and, to help her breathe, a tracheotomy.
In her first interview, Ms James spoke of her passion for dolphins and her continuing road to recovery.
"One of the first things I asked Mum was, 'Is the dolphin OK?'," Ms James told the magazine.
"My air freshener in my car is a dolphin. I've got my dolphin necklace. I've got a crystal dolphin at home, I've got one made out of timber, I've got dolphin ornaments on the wall. I adore them, always will."
Ms James was understood to be seeking payment for her story. Network PR account director Marie Hosking could not comment if Woman's Day owner ACP Magazines paid for the story but said it was running at the same time in the Australian version of the magazine. ACP could not be reached for comment yesterday.
The Pukekohe woman was ordered to stay in bed for four weeks while her injuries healed. She did not have a heart attack as previously reported.
Ms James took her first steps two days before she went home on February 5.
She still carried a scar on her neck from her tracheotomy and was photographed using crutches and in a wheelchair.
It would be at least another month before she returned to her job in sales.
Doctors had warned her she might emotionally crash once painkillers wore off but Mr Lawson told the magazine it never eventuated.
Ms James credited her "positive attitude" to cards and messages from family, friends and strangers.
"The support I've had has been incredible."
