2 days Ago By Georgina Sebar
Mitchell Wilson doesn't remember being flown to Melbourne in the back of an air ambulance with a possible bleed on the brain. or signup to continue reading In late November 2023, the then 11-year-old boy was riding a quad bike on his way to turn the water off at the dam on the family farm when he fell and hit his head on a jagged stone. A short time later, Mitchell's dad Andrew saw the quad bike unattended and found his young son lying nearby, drifting in and out of consciousness.
Mitchell's parents rang triple-zero and he was airlifted to The Royal Children's Hospital, where he spent a total of 69 days, his parents by his side the entire time. Doctors told Mitchell's parents their son was the sickest child at the hospital and if he survived, he would certainly have lifelong mental or physical disabilities as a result of the accident. Three weeks into a coma, his medical team started talking about turning off life support.
Then, Mitchell raised his hand. "That day went from the worst day - it was almost like reliving the accidents all over again. But then when he raised his hand, it was like a miracle," Mitchell's father Andrew said.
Now, 18 months later, Mitchell has re-united with the air paramedic who flew to Kerang to transport him to the Royal Children's Hospital. "We don't get the opportunity to catch up with family very often," paramedic Nathan Widdeson said. "For the family to reach out and want to say thank you is great.
It's nice closure for the job for us too. We often wonder what happens to patients. "It's a privilege really to be able to work on the helicopter and take the sickest patients like Mitchell and get them to the care that they need.
" Mitchell's condition improved while in the helicopter with Mr Widdeson, but within minutes of landing at the hospital, everything changed. He spent the next 21 days in a coma. "He deteriorated really quickly after arriving at hospital, almost down to minutes," Mr Widdeson said.
"So having a helicopter and being able to fly him to Melbourne was maybe the difference for him surviving or not surviving." Since then, Mitchell has defied expectations: not only does he seem to have no lasting effects from the accident, but has even gone on to take up clay shooting, a sport which relies on the players' hand-eye coordination. Mr Wilson said it was even possible Mitchell would represent Australia in the future.
"If he had been driven to Bendigo then there's a huge possibility he wouldn't have even made it," Mr Wilson said. "Or if he did, he certainly wouldn't have been like he is today." Journalist at the Bendigo Advertiser.
Email me at [email protected].
au Journalist at the Bendigo Advertiser. Email me at georgina.sebar@austcommunitymedia.
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