In June 2018 Steve Jones was riding his motorcycle along the road in Norfolk. As he overtook a car it turned into his path catapulting him from his motorbike, head-first through a brick wall and into a ditch filled with water.
Steve was unconscious and submerged under the water, when a fellow biker riding with Steve jumped into the ditch with him to hold his head above water. An off-duty soldier who was nearby, who was staying at a nearby holiday park also helped.
The Anglia One Crew was activated and travelling by helicopter, the crew of Doctor Peter Temesvari, Critical Care Paramedics Simeon Tomlinson and Sam Sweeney, Captain Luke Morgan and Pilot Rob Gleave, arrived 21 minutes later.
By this time the ditch was filled with Steve’s blood and the team knew they had to get him out quickly. Steve was making gurgling noises but remained unconscious. The team made the decision to sedate and intubate him to take control of his breathing.
Once Steve was stable and packaged he was flown to Addenbrooke’s Hospital. Steve had suffered such a traumatic head injury that neither the EAAA team or the EEAST team thought he would survive his injuries.
Steve remained in hospital for 10 Weeks, but on the 23rd November he came into the Norwich base to meet the EAAA team and the EEAST land paramedics who also provided treatment on scene. Getting to meet Steve, who they all believed would not survive the incident, was a great pleasure for the whole team. Not only has he suffered no lasting effects but he is also in the process of finishing his PhD in Software Engineering. What an incredible recovery.
My wife and I are extremely grateful for the East Anglian Air Ambulance and their East of England Ambulance Service colleagues. I am in no doubt that these heroes saved my life and I am optimistic and positive for the future which includes completing the last parts of my PhD and embarking on a Software Engineering industrial research career.
— Former EAAA patient, Steve Jones