During the last October school holidays, 11-year-old Jesse and his two brothers were playing in the park behind their house.
“The boys climbed a tall tree in the park that afternoon while I sat beneath it,” said mum Karina.
“Unfortunately, the branch Jesse was standing on suddenly gave way, causing him to fall approximately 4-5 meters to the ground.
“He hit the ground hard on his right side and initially, Jesse was unresponsive, not breathing and turning purple which was terrifying,” says Karina.
“I screamed out for help and thankfully was heard by our two friends who were painting our house. They immediately called emergency services. A nurse and a courier driver also came to offer their assistance.
“After about a minute, Jesse started breathing on his own and groaning in pain. He was semi-conscious but couldn't speak or respond to any cues.
“The ambulance arrived about 10-15 minutes after Jesse fell. They were excellent, very calm and acted quickly to sedate him a little to help with his pain and calm him down.
“After evaluating Jesse's condition, they determined that he required immediate transportation to Waikato Hospital, as the fall had potentially resulted in a brain injury that may require surgery,” explains Karina of the frightening situation.
The Aerocool Rescue Helicopter was tasked to the mission and due to the park reserve location, the rescue helicopter was able to land directly in the park near where Jesse lay.
Once on the ground and by Jesse’s side, the rescue helicopter crew worked quickly to stabilise him. Critical Care Flight Paramedics Dave and Flick were both on the scene and worked together to perform an RSI - rapid sequence intubation – an advanced airway management used in trauma situations - to keep Jesse alive, stabilised and breathing. Jesse was a status 1, a term used for a patient in critical condition.
“In the park, the rescue helicopter crew sedated and intubated Jesse to stabilise him. When they did that, my husband, Sybrand, and I, felt relief that he was stable and going to the right place. I was thankfully able to fly with Jesse to Waikato Hospital. The ride in the helicopter was for me, a mixture of fear for the extent of his injuries, shock at what had just happened, and relief that the best was being done for him.” says Karina.
Jesse was arriving at Waikato Hospital in a short 35 minutes and had an emergency medical team waiting for him on landing.
“Jesse's main injury was a Diffuse Axonal Injury (DAI) to his brain, which is lots of tiny tears throughout the brain. He also lacerated his right lung, fractured his right scapula and fractured his C2 vertebrae at the odontoid peg,” say Karina of the extent of Jesse’s injuries.
“When we got to Waikato Hospital, it was still uncertain the extent of his brain injury. He was taken for a CT scan of his brain and the Neurosurgeon came to see me after. She said he had escaped any major bleeds and was a very lucky boy. She also said that in time Jesse would make a full recovery. I called my husband and the relief we both felt was immense. It was an incredibly emotional time for us both.
“Jesse doesn't remember climbing the tree or falling out of it. His first memory after the fall is a couple of days later in hospital being told what had happened. He was very dazed and sleepy for the first eight days in hospital, he then began to improve in alertness and memory.” Karina said.
Jesse’s recovery has been ongoing, and he is doing very well. He has made a steady recovery to normal speech, memory, balance and movement and did manage to return to school part-time in Term 4 last year. He continues to be supported by a rehabilitation team in Tauranga and is expected to complete his full recovery this year.
“Our family are so thankful for all the care Jesse received. The rescue helicopter crew were amazing, their clinical skills were truly lifesaving. Jesse's accident was such a shock to us, but the relief of having him so quickly receive the treatment he needed, and being taken to the right place, was immense. We are so grateful.” says Karina.
When accidents like Jesse’s happen, your Aerocool Rescue Helicopter is there for patients thanks to you! Jesse, Karina, Sybrand and all their family are incredibly grateful for your support. Thank you for helping your crew save lives.