“If LifeFlight hadn’t of been about, I’d be fertiliser”, explains Walter McLean, knowing he’s lucky to be alive.
On a warm February afternoon after a long day mustering, the 73-year-old rolled a quad bike on his cattle and sheep property halfway between Mitchell and Bollon – 540km west of Brisbane.
He was travelling along the fence line when the quad bike hit a clump of dirt, and he lost control causing extensive injuries.
Walter called up on the two-way to let his family know he was hurt, and his son Stuart went out to pick him up and soon realised he was critically injured.
“The quad bike wheels hit a clump of dirt, and it rolled, and the impact bent the handlebars,” Walter said.
“After seven years of drought, we are still not used to so much grass. The impact bent the handlebars.
“I don’t recall but I assume the quad bike bounced on top of me.
“Unbeknown to me I had two punctured lungs, 22 of my 24 ribs were fractured, I had a lacerated kidney, cracked neck vertebrae and a dislocated collar bone.”
LifeFlight’s Roma SGAS helicopter crew – pilot Simon Newman, co-pilot Brody Marris, critical care doctor Gareth Richards and flight paramedic Phil Kendrick – flew out to the McLean’s Abbieglassie 29,000 ha property.
It was dark when the rescue helicopter landed on the McLean’s airstrip lit by the headlights of two utes.
The aeromedical team worked alongside local QAS paramedic Miranda Lewis and Walter was put into an induced coma and then flown to Roma Hospital.
The LifeFlight pilot flew at a lower altitude because of Walter’s injured lungs and induced coma.
The next morning, a LifeFlight Toowoomba-base aeromedical team flew Walter to Princess Alexandra Hospital intensive care unit where he spent two weeks recovering.
He was later airlifted from Princess Alexandra Hospital to Roma Hospital rehabilitation unit where he spent a further two months.
This week, Walter donated two weaner steers through the Roma Saleyards which raised $2434 for the LifeFlight Roma base.
He has recovered well and is back on the quad bike and busy mustering again.
“The quad bike is the best mode of transport to navigate all the mulga trees on the property,” he said.
“But since the accident I now use a ute for checking the dams.”
Walter and his wife Christine recently celebrated their golden wedding anniversary, and she said she’s eternally grateful.
“Thank goodness the local ambulance paramedic kept pushing for LifeFlight to come out for Walter,” Christine said.
“The LifeFlight team did such a sterling, professional job.
“Flying Walter in the helicopter instead of the delay by a slow two-and-a-half-hour road trip to Roma saved his life.”
LifeFlight Roma Regional Advisory Committee member Sally McGilvray said the donated funds would ensure the Roma aeromedical team had the latest rescue equipment to support the South West community.
“Walter was a long way from a hospital and had life-threatening injuries and it’s thanks to the LifeFlight helicopter and crew he survived,” she said.
“Feel good stories like Walter’s rescue make all our time and effort seems so worthwhile.
“The Regional Advisory Committee has worked hard to make sure LifeFlight is here to stay in the Roma region.
“We would like to thank the McLeans and all the other donors – big and small – for helping too.”
Walter said he found expressing his gratitude to LifeFlight difficult to put into words.
“I’m very grateful for the LifeFlight helicopter service and it’s whole concept,” he said.
“And I’m sure there are many others out here like me who would be fertiliser if LifeFlight hadn’t of been about.”
The Roma SGAS crew, based at the Lee Family and Australian Country Choice LifeFlight Centre, helped 58 people and notched up 168 flight hours in the last financial year. Tasked by Queensland Health, the LifeFlight SGAS helicopter and crew performed this mission as part of the SGAS partners’ commitment to providing community aeromedical coverage