Mum and Dad say I'm a miracle – Riley Johnson
I still find it so painful.
Two years on, and it’s still hard to talk about the accident. As we were driving round a notoriously dangerous bend, the car slid out of control - nothing I could do. We flipped into the path of an oncoming car which slammed our side and sent us down the embankment.
When we came to a stop, my first thought was for Riley. I turned around to look for him.
Where his seat had been was a mangle of steel.
I screamed his name, but there was no answer. I ran round the side of the car looking for him. And there he was, on the other side of the car. Blood everywhere.
It’s the most confronting, terrifying experience you could ever have imagined.
He was motionless, not moving. His scalp was completely pulled back from his head. It was a sight no parent should have to see.
I held his head, screaming. Fortunately, my experience as a former nurse told me not to move him, a decision that was to prove crucial.
By the time the police arrived, I was hysterical. That’s when I heard them say the chopper was on its way. The relief was incredible.
I won’t tell you about the hours and months of operations and care Riley endured. What I will tell you is that he wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for NRMA CareFlight.
Riley’s neck was so severely damaged, his spinal cord narrowly missed being severed. One wrong move, and that would have been it. In 99% of his type of injuries, the patient doesn’t survive. To see him running around - even playing sport - is a miracle. My little miracle.
I now know that NRMA CareFlight saved his life. By bringing intensive care and medical expertise to him, they stopped his injuries being fatal and avoided any permanent brain injury. For that I will be eternally grateful.
I wish I’d never had to experience what Riley and I went through. Now that I have, I can see just how vital those precious dollars are at helping to save precious lives.
Debbie
Grateful mum
