A cyclist struck head-on by a car has had an emotional reunion with one of the rescuers who helped save his life.
Mick Patton faced critical injuries after he was hit, while riding in the Sunshine Coast hinterland last year.
The 76-year-old was airlifted to hospital under the care of an RACQ LifeFlight Rescue Critical Care doctor.
He then defied the odds by making a remarkably quick recovery.
Mick was last week reunited with the aircrew officer on board his flight, Rick Harvey.
“I’m a lucky man, without the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue service I wouldn’t be here, I know that,” Mick said.
Meanwhile, Rick was delighted to see Mick in good health.
“It’s great having Mick to come in to say hello,” he said.
“Last time I saw Mick he was in pretty bad shape and we were really concerned about his neck and his injuries.
“It’s really great to see him walking about and riding his bike again, it brings back to us why we do this.”
A ride gone wrong
Mick is an experienced cyclist, having won many races, including the first world championships he competed in (in the 70+ age group) at the age of 70.
He’s also no stranger to the notoriously steep and windy stretch of road heading down from Montville, which he rode with mates each week.
His wife Kerrie said he had ridden that route “a thousand times.”
“He knows every corner,” she said.
But the journey held a new danger on the morning of July 13 last year.
With roadworks in the area leaving the road wet and dirty, he slowed down, but as he rounded a corner, something went wrong and he collided with a car coming from the opposite direction.
“Mick has no memory of the impact, so we don’t know exactly what happened,” Kerrie said.
“But I think he swerved to miss something just as a car came around the bend. His bike only clipped the side, but it was enough to do a lot of damage.”
Queensland Ambulance Service paramedics rushed to the scene to start treatment, while the Sunshine Coast-based rescue helicopter was called into action.
At the time, the Land Rover LifeFlight Special Mission helicopter was operating from the base, while the usual blue and yellow helicopter was undergoing routine maintenance.
The road was unsuitable so the pilot landed at the Montville State School oval, where they were met by paramedics who transferred Mr Patton to the aircraft.
He was in a critical condition and had suffered a long list of serious injuries: a brain bleed, a broken neck in two places, nine broken ribs, two broken vertebrae in his spine and several broken fingers and toes.
Defying the odds
Mick and Kerrie said the neck injuries were serious enough that he could have become paraplegic or even lost his life.
They credit the advanced care of the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue Critical Care Doctor and QAS Flight Paramedic, combined with the swift work of the aircrew and the treatment he received at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital intensive care unit, with saving his life.
“I’m just so thankful for everybody there on that day,” Mick said.
To his doctors’ surprise, his recovery was rapid and he walked out of hospital just 10 days later, with minimal damage.
He continued to recover quickly at home under Kerrie’s care and was soon back to his active lifestyle.
“It shows you what the body can do,” he said.
“But really, it’s down to the guys that looked after me – from the crew on board the helicopter, to the QAS paramedics and the hospital staff. I’m forever grateful.”
Kerrie said it was incredible comeback.
“He absolutely defied all the odds, they didn’t think he would pull through,” she said.
Walking for a good cause
Mick and Kerrie are now putting their passion for long distance walking to good use, embarking on a mammoth walk to raise vital funds for the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue service.
They will walk from Palmwoods to SCUH, which is the equivalent of the 29km the helicopter flew with Mick on board, on September 13.
Mick said they were eager to give something back.
“We can’t take things like this service for granted,” he said.
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They’re asking for people to donate or join them on their walk.
Rick praised the duo for the initiative.
“It’s amazing that Mick and his wife Kerrie are going out of their way to raise money for our not-for-profit organisation,” he said.
“That just blows my mind that he feels that it’s that important to him after what he went through, to do that for us. It’s a great feeling.”
To back Mick and Kerrie on their epic hike in support of the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue service, donate or contact via: Life Flight Rescue -Patton Fundraiser.
Kerrie said the rescue service was invaluable.
“You just never know when you’re going to need this wonderful service. It can be yourself or a loved one, anywhere,” she said.
