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Ray Hadley: Thanks after hang gliding accident - audio
Tino, g'day.
G'day, Ray. How are you?
Well, thank you Tino.
Ray, I'm ringing about my son that, uh, Steven, that was critically injured in a hang glider accident last Tuesday, at Forbes. And uh...
Forbes... Uh, OK, um, I think I may have mentioned this, hang gliding incident on the twenty-fourth (third). Would that be it?
That's it.
And he's from Sydney and uh... Dear oh dear.
Yeah. What I was ringing for, Ray is uh... You know... We're all quick to criticize and condemn. But we're very short on the ability to praise when something, uh, when you see something go into action. And particularly I rang... I heard about it on... six o'clock on, uh, Tuesday, uh, night. And, uh, I rang triple 0, they put me through to Parks LAC, the lady at Parks LAC got hold of the attending constable at Forbes, and they let me know what was going on. And, uh, just to, to see the whole system going into action, and getting to Westmead by helicopter and down into the hospital... I just want to thank everyone involved.
Did, did, did you become aware very quickly, did you, Tino, that this was your boy?
Yeah, about six o'clock.
OK. And he's a very experienced hang glider, I'm told.
No, he's, you know, he's going through a course with hang gliding and he's done a little bit hang gliding. This was part of the course where they're towed up by, uh, an ultralight. He lost control at about six meters and plunged into the ground.
Oh dear. And what condition is he now in, ol' mate?
Um... It... It appears that his survival's fine, he's AOK.
Right.
It appears that he hasn't had his... uh, too much brain damage at all, so that looks all positive.
Yeah.
And, uh, you know, he's got a few broken bones and things of that nature. It appears they'll take him off the, um, ventilator system probably today or tomorrow. Uh, they've fixed his broken bones on his arms and --- on his wrists and then they're uh... Uh... They hope to do any of the facial injuries sometime, you know, next week maybe.
What's your boy's first name?
Steven.
Steven. He's 34 I'm told.
Yes.
OK. Well, things are looking much brighter on this Friday than they were
on Tuesday, Wednesday, by the sound of it.
No, I think you're a hundred percent right. But importantly, you know, those people that are involved, I mean... We've got a system that's probably second to none in the world.
Mm. Mm.
Once they go into coordinated action they tend to get it done very well - particularly the people at Westmead and the police force.
Yeah, I did actually mention it - Eugowra, showgrounds. He was picked up by chopper...
That's where they picked him up from.
Yeah, um, OK. And he, he's actually, yeah, I, I thought I'd said that he was experienced but actually he was learning to be a hang glider pilot, so to speak.
That's right, he was going through a particular phase of the instruction
and this one was being towed up by a... uh... an ultralight specifically designed for that exercise. I think it was up at Bill Moyes's property up there. And uh, uh, you know, unfortunately, accidents happen ---
They do.
And, uh, he's lucky to be alive.
Well, that's very kind of you to let us know, uh, what's happened and also kind of you to thank the emergency services. Can... Can I ask you to do me one favor? Can you let me know how Steven progresses because everyone will be very interested to make sure that he makes, uh, as good a recovery as he possibly can, given the expertise of the people involved.
Yes, it's awesome to watch them in operation down there in operation at Westmead Hospital.
Good on ya, mate. Well, you hold it together and you're a nice man for ringing and thanking those people when you're going through a difficult time with your son.
Uh... Thanks Ray.
Thanks Tino. That's very kind of you. And we wish Steven all the very very best. I've got a lovely note from a gentleman in Gulgong:
"Good morning, Ray. I was listening to your program this morning. I heard that you were going to be with the dad of the young man that was injured at Forbes in that incident last Tuesday the twenty-second (third) of the month. I'm the inspector in the ambulance service that was on duty in charge of the treatment and evacuation of the young man. I'm more than happy to discuss with the dad any questions he may have in relation to it. It was wonderful to hear he's doing well. We don't get a lot of feedback because of privacy regulations."
Well, look... Dad's really happy with what you did and we're more than happy to pass your details on. But I think you'll find he just wanted to come on here and thank all of you people, including you, inspector, for the wonderful, the wonderful, uh, work you did in relation to his son.
