A MAN who nearly died in a horrific motorcycle crash has thanked medics at the Great North Air Ambulance for their life-saving care.
Husband and wife, David and Tracey Lodge, were involved in a serious collision with a car on the A696, near Kirkwhelpington, in Northumberland in August last year.
The couple, from Nelson Terrace in Darlington, were travelling back from Aberdeen after visiting their daughter when the incident happened. A car crossed their path, resulting in their motorbike smashing into its side.
The pair were sent flying over the motorbike’s handlebars and both were thrown a long distance from the crash site.
Mr Lodge’s head struck the car windscreen and he landed 13 metres down the road. His wife was found 29 metres from where the collision happened.
While Mrs Lodge sustained relatively minor injuries, her husband’s were life-threatening. After treatment on scene, he was flown to the Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary by the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS).
He said: “GNAAS doctor, Laura Attwood, spent an hour at the roadside stabilising me before I was taken to hospital.
“I suffered a broken foot, pelvis, both forearms, wrists and ribs, as well as multiple facial fractures, missing teeth, brain swelling and damaged lungs. I was told later that I was expected to die. If it wasn’t for the charity’s help, I’m sure I would have.”
Mr Lodge spent four weeks at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, before being transferred to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough to spend another four weeks recovering.
He underwent a series of operations and now has two plates and 20 screws in his right forearm, one plate and ten screws in his left forearm, four screws in his foot and clips in his ribs.
Mrs Lodge suffered a broken finger, dislocated finger and shin, as well as lots of bruising.
Mr Lodge, who earlier this month returned to work as a taxi driver in Darlington, recently visited the GNAAS base at Durham Tees Valley Airport along with his wife, to thank the medics and look around the aircraft.
He said: “It’s been a long road to recovery but I am now 95 per cent fit again, very recently back at work and looking into new motorbikes.
“So from the bottom of both our hearts, we would like say a huge thank you to the people behind the service many times over.”
The car driver was later convicted of driving without due care and attention.
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