Logging accident victim lucky to be alive

“I remember the paramedic arriving and being put in the helicopter but that’s all I remember until I woke up in Wellington Hospital with all my family there.”

Brayden was first flown to Nelson Hospital but due to the severity of his injuries was transferred to Wellington Hospital.

The former Queen Charlotte College student started his career in logging 18 months ago and says he can’t wait to get back to it. But with a piece of his skull still twisted behind his eye socket, it will be a while before Brayden gets the all clear.

“The mornings are harder for me with pain in my eye but it gets better as the day goes on.

“I’m counting down the days till I can go back to work to be honest, I can walk but I can’t drive yet because of my eye.”

Brayden was working on the same site as two colleagues when the accident happened.

That they got to him so quickly, probably helped save his life, he says.

“He didn’t see me get hit as he was looking up the hill but did see me tumble down.

“He asked if I was okay and I was like, not really.

“I’d like to also say a big thank you to the paramedics and the people who helped me. They saved my butt.”

Erin says it was her husband who broke the news of Brayden’s accident.

“I missed a couple of calls from Brayden’s boss as I was at work. They got my husband who rang me, which was a nicer way to hear the news.

“We rang Wairau Hospital as we thought it was just a cut in his head at this point but then they told us he was being flown to Nelson.

“We got there [Nelson] just in time and I was able to go in the helicopter with him.

“My husband drove straight back to Picton and flew over.