Young WA school student Sam Moodie losing sight in right eye after being swooped by magpie

A routine walk across her school oval in the South West has left 12-year-old Sam Moodie fighting for her eyesight after a terrifying magpie attack.

Sam, a quiet, artistic soul who loves playing basketball with her brother and idolises Billie Eilish, was leaving the school grounds on Tuesday to meet her mum, Nicole Moodie, when the bird left her with a serious eye injury.

“She was walking across the school oval where I was going to collect her and her brother after work,” Ms Moodie told The West.

“She’d been swooped by a magpie and it had hit her in the eye. You could see it was very, very painful.”

The severity of the injury required urgent surgery at Busselton Hospital, followed by another emergency procedure at Perth Children’s Hospital to remove the lens of Sam’s eye.

“The eye surgeon said the lens was starting to swell and it was becoming serious,” Ms Moodie said.

“She then had another surgery last night at about 5 o’clock, which was lengthy, and now we’re staying at the hospital while the swelling goes down.

“We’re looking at 12 to 18 months and potentially seven or eight more surgeries to get most of her eyesight back — but there’s no guarantee.”

The incident has left the family shaken, and Sam’s younger brother is now too afraid to play outside.

“He’s scared of getting swooped,” Ms Moodie said.

The magpie involved has a history of aggression at the school, where it nests near the oval. Ms Moodie said complaints had been made previously, but no action was taken.

You don’t have to be looking at a magpie to be at risk.

Despite the trauma, Sam’s spirit remains intact.

“She’s brave. She’s taken it all on board. She’s in a lot of pain, but she’s managing quite well for now,” Ms Moodie said.

“She’s a beautiful kid and it’s such a sad thing to happen . . . she doesn’t fully understand how long this will go on for — or that she could even lose her eye.”

The single mother of four issued a warning to other parents.

“You don’t have to be looking at a magpie to be at risk,” she said.

“Sam wasn’t even looking at it — it’s just one of those unlucky things, being in the wrong area at the wrong time.”

The unexpected injury has created additional challenges for the family.

“I work full-time, and this is hindering me financially,” Ms Moodie said.

“But Sam comes first. I have to do what’s best for her and deal with the rest as we go on.”

Ms Moodie’s close friend Zoe Beard started a GoFundMe for the “kind, caring family” to help support them pay medical bills for the next 18 months.

“My beautiful friend Nicole’s daughter Sam was swooped by a magpie... and it got her straight in the eye,” Ms Beard Wrote.

“Nicole is a single mum busting her backside juggling jobs to keep a roof over her kids heads,

“This lady is super mum but even super mums needs some help.”