Accident victim says big thank you to paramedic

Aug 9 2008 by Chris Robinson, The Journal

WHEN they first met each other, paramedic Kevin Hodgson was battling to save road crash victim Paul Smith’s life.

Yesterday Mr Smith came face to face with his hero for the first time since the accident. In emotional scenes, the biker, who spent more than a month in a coma, appealed to the people of the North to help raise cash for the Great North Air Ambulance Service’s latest appeal.

The fact the charity is so vital to the region was put into practice as the crew of the Guardian of the North, who attended yesterday’s launch of ‘Moustache for Cash’, were half an hour late for photographers after receiving an emergency callout to Stanhope, County Durham. Paramedics said it just goes to show how “vitally important” it is to raise £60,000 annually needed to run their fleet of three craft.

Last year they were called out to more than 1,500 incidents across the North East, which included two craft sent to the A695 in Dilston, near Corbridge, Northumberland, after a three-vehicle smash.

Mr Smith, who was crushed by his own motorbike, was airlifted to Newcastle General Hospital by one crew while a female casualty was transported by another.

After spending five months in hospital and weeks in a wheelchair, he is now able to walk again with the aid of a stick and hopes to return to work as a fitter with bus company Stagecoach.

Mr Hodgson, a paramedic for 12 years who attended the scene with colleague Jane Peacock, called the service “invaluable”.

He added: “I remember last year, it was quite an horrific scene when we arrived. It’s great to see Paul in better circumstances than I did last time, he’s doing marvellously considering the state of his injuries at the scene, he’s doing really well.”

Shaking the paramedic’s hand, Mr Smith, 46, of Wardley, Gateshead, urged people to pay £1 and sign up to the charity’s latest appeal, ahead of its fundraising week in September.

He added: “It’s a fantastic thing and today was just unreal. It is wonderful to meet somebody who did a fantastic job for you and saved your life. The speed that the air ambulance can respond and get you to the medical teams that little bit earlier makes all the difference.”

Anyone wanting to support the appeal should see greatnorthairambulance.co.uk or call 01325 487263 to order a pack of clip-on moustaches.

Has your family been helped by the Great North Air Ambulance Service? Call us on (0191) 201-6003.