After experiencing a life-changing accident that nearly took his life three years ago, David Francis returns to his saviours, giving them thanks and encouraging the message of safety on the road.
Now 55 years old, the last thing Francis could remember on the day of the accident was seeing a car coming at him from the corner of his eye; the next thing he could recall was being in the hospital four weeks later.
Ambulance Victoria paramedic, Amy Grimshaw, was among the emergency services personnel who were present during the incident in March 2022, and on the morning of Monday, 22 September, to greet Francis’ return to say thanks.
It was an emotional reunion, with Francis, in a wheelchair, accompanied by his daughter, came in and hugged the paramedics; they said it was good to see him again, up and well.
Speaking on the day, Grimshaw said that that had been her first “heavy job”, and also one that was unforgettable.
“My partner and I were first on the scene, and when we got there, Dave was lying on the road,” she said.
“He was kind of half under the guard rail, he had his gear on, his helmet, his leathers, he was doing all the right things.
“His bike was 100 metres down the road, and he was conscious, he was alert, he was able to talk to us, but he quickly began to deteriorate with his blood pressure, oxygen levels and conscious state dropping, and his heart rate increasing,” she said.
Grimshaw said that by the time the air ambulance arrived, Francis was almost unconscious.
Mobile intensive care unit ambulance (MICA) and advanced life support (ALS) crews were present on the scene, with Francis being flown out to The Alfred Hospital in critical condition.
“I punctured both lungs, broke all my ribs, nearly every bone in my face, both collarbones, dislocated and fractured my shoulder, broke my scapula and back, and severed my spinal cord; in total, I broke about 95 bones,” Francis said.
Francis underwent 17 surgeries and spent roughly four months in The Alfred, with another year in a rehabilitation hospital.
Six months after that, Francis suffered a stroke, with his blood pressure unstable after the collision; he survived, but it meant more time in the hospital and even more in rehab.
According to Grimshaw and her colleagues, Francis reaching out had been the first time anything like that had happened.
On the other hand, Francis said that it almost felt like he needed to, and ever since he made contact a few months back, “things have been emotional”.
“It’s one of those things where I’ve heard stories of what happened to me, but I don’t actually know until I talk to them.
“I didn’t know if it was possible to reach out and talk to the paramedics, but I’m very, very thankful because they saved my life.
“If they didn’t come to my accident, I wouldn’t be here today,” he said.
Francis had a passion and love for golf; he was a shareholder of the Drummond Golf branch in Dandenong, and, in addition to the sport, had been an active person.
After the accident, however, things had changed dramatically; he said that the worst part was that everyone had to do things for him, and that it was frustrating.
It was an uphill battle that Francis fought, on both the physical and mental end, lamenting that “I was always active, always in the gym, playing golf, riding my bike, and all of a sudden you’re 52 and your life’s changed forever”.
“I knew that nothing in my life would be the same; it was all gone; I said to my kids and my parents that it feels like you’re a five-year-old again.
“It’s been a lot of rehab, a lot of care from family, friends, the care workers, and it’s a lot of rough days that you have where you think, ‘is it all worth it?’
“And it’s about honesty, you have to be honest with yourself because some days are tougher than others,” he said.
One of the lighter things that pushed Francis was when his daughter pointed out that during his recovery period, he had never missed a shower, despite being stuck in a wheelchair.
She recalled that there would be others who would talk about not being able to get up, but said that Francis always pushed himself ahead.
Despite being the most difficult part, he said that “you’ve just got to find a different way to live”.
On that note, Francis’ passion for gold hasn’t waned, and now, he’s put his foot down for the purchase of a Paramotion golf-powered wheelchair, a mobility aide that he is more than excited for.
In the grand scheme of things, he and Grimshaw have called for more awareness on roads, with Francis emphasising that “we all share the road, and everyone has a family to go back home to”.
His and his family’s accounts were that the driver who had collided with Francis initially left the scene, but was later brought back by another motorist.
Furthermore, during the court process, Francis recalled that the other party received only a $1000 fine and nothing more.
“We have family, friends, jobs and a home to get back to; I think we just need to be kinder to one another,” he said.
“I can’t say a big enough thank you to all the paramedics, because again, they saved my life.”
To Grimshaw, seeing him on the day served as a reminder of their work as first responders.
“It’s rewarding to see David again and it’s a reminder that we make a difference, knowing that something we did thday day contributed to keeping him alive,” she said.
