Yahoo News Mum hails air ambulance crew who saved son after he was involved in horror crash
A mum has hailed the emergency services for saving her son's life following a terrifying crash.
Jack Godwin, 18, and his mate Ben Davies, 17, were on their way home from a day trip to Barnard Castle when their car collided with a tree on the B6282 in Eggleston, County Durham. The North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) and two choppers from the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) rushed to the scene of the accident, which occurred just after 4.30pm on April 16, 2023.
Both NEAS and GNAAS worked in tandem to treat three patients, including Jack and Ben who had sustained life-threatening injuries. The critical care teams from GNAAS performed blood transfusions and induced comas in both lads before they were airlifted separately to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough and the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle.
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Jack's mum, Kelly Bryden, 46, recounted: "A member of the public called me from Jack's phone to advise he had an accident in Eggleston - this was around 4.45pm. We heard nothing for over an hour but we could see pictures of the scene on Facebook so I called 101 to see if they could help.
"They got a police officer to call me 45 minutes later to advise he was being taken to the RVI and we arrived at around 8pm. We were taken to a room in A&E and informed of Jack's injuries which included an aortic transection, brain bleeds, severe brain swelling and a seriously broken pelvis. We were also told a few days later that Jack also sustained a broken left elbow and a fracture to the bottom of his skull."
Jack, from Spennymoor, was rushed to the Freeman Hospital for heart surgery where a stent was fitted to correct the aortic transection. He was then returned to the RVI where he remained in ITU for two weeks in an induced coma.
During this time, plates and pins were fitted in his pelvis and elbow. Due to the unpredictable behaviour caused by Jack's brain injury, he required one-to-one care. He received daily physiotherapy and speech therapy twice a week.
Mrs Bryden said: "Jack has had to learn how to eat and drink again as well as speak. He wasn't able to speak until mid-July. Jack has been left with a left-sided weakness, so this has caused issues. By the time Jack left the RVI he was able to sit up on his own for short periods of time and spend time in a wheelchair."
In July, Jack was transferred from the RVI to Walkergate Park for intensive rehabilitation. He was discharged in December last year and continues to receive physiotherapy, occupational therapy and psychotherapy to help with his brain injury and subsequent short-term memory loss.
His friend Ben was discharged from James Cook in May last year after spending 30 days in hospital and continued to recover at home. GNAAS doctor Laura Duffy stated: "Jack and Ben were seriously injured and required advanced interventions that our critical care teams could provide.
"Due to the severity of the incident, our teams based in the North East and Cumbria flew to the scene and we treated the teenagers alongside the North East Ambulance Service. Once they were stabilised we airlifted them to hospital where they received further treatment and began their road to recovery.
"It's now been over a year since we treated Jack and Ben so it's nice to hear how they are doing and progressing after their injuries."
Mrs Bryden expressed: "Without the air ambulance I can honestly say my son would not be alive. They performed chest drains, a blood transfusion and put him on a ventilator all at the side of the road. No one can believe following the injury to his aorta that Jack is alive.
"The air ambulance do an amazing job and deserve every penny they receive. I will be forever grateful for them saving my son's life."
Darren Green, Head of operations in central division at North East Ambulance Service, added: ""It's lovely to hear that Jack and Ben are recovering after such a traumatic event. Together, our crews attend road traffic collisions every day to help, in what can be the most serious of emergencies.
"A number of our colleagues and specialist resources attended this incident and they will be pleased to know that what they did that day made a real difference and ensured that Jack and Ben could go home to their families. We wish them well in their continued recovery and for the future."
GNAAS needs to raise £8.5m a year to remain operational. To find out more about how you can support the charity visit: gna.as/fund247.
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