Jamie's Story

The incident, in September 2022, took place along South Road in the Somerset seaside town. Jamie was perusing the menu on a restaurant window when a car left the road and mounted the pavement, careering into him.

Mum Linda takes up the story.

She said: “Jamie’s head hit the windscreen and he was flung over a six-foot wall, landing on a concrete driveway.

“Jamie was on holiday with his girlfriend Charlotte in Brean Sands at the time and she rang me as soon as it happened.

“By then a local bar worker, who had previously worked in healthcare, was giving Jamie CPR. She saw blood coming from his eyes, ears and nose, and continued to support him until the air ambulance landed.”

As the nearest air ambulance resource available at the time of the incident, Wiltshire Air Ambulance was tasked to attend, taking just a matter of minutes to fly across from Bristol Airport where they had been undertaking pilot training.

Pilot Elvis Costello flew critical care doctor Reuben Cooper and critical care paramedic James Hubbard to the scene. They touched down in a nearby caravan park before rushing to Jamie’s rescue.

“We could see Jamie had a head injury and was having a seizure. The worry was he had sustained a significant brain injury, so we needed to stop that getting worse.”

As a pre-hospital critical care doctor, Dr Cooper can carry out specialist procedures, as well as being able to prescribe a range of medication.

Dr Cooper added: “I gave Jamie a pre-hospital emergency anaesthetic to put him in an induced coma. This switches off the brain, stops any seizures and prevents further damage. We took over his breathing by inserting a tube into his lungs and put him on a ventilator, as well as managing his blood pressure.

“These were all key interventions we needed to undertake to support Jamie. I was also able to administer anti-seizures medicines, as well as powerful drugs which helped reduce any swelling, averting any potential pressure on the brain.

“We then flew him to Southmead Hospital in Bristol, which is the regional major trauma centre.”

Once at the hospital, Jamie underwent emergency brain surgery and remained in an induced coma for over two weeks.

He stayed in the critical care unit at Southmead for four weeks before he was transferred closer to home in Coventry, where he was later moved into a neurology ward.

In November 2022 Jamie transferred to the Royal Leamington Spa Rehabilitation Hospital and was discharged two months later.

“Initially doctors couldn’t tell us if Jamie would be able to walk or talk again,” mum Linda added. “However, he’s made a fantastic recovery. His first word was Coventry, his favourite football team. That’s when we knew he was back.”

Jamie, who was aged 28 on the day of the incident, said: “I’m back living with mum and dad and have returned to work twice a week. I was working full time before the accident and that’s my long-term aim.

“I’m still receiving rehabilitation, including physiotherapy, speech and language therapy and neuro psychology. But most importantly, I’m able to go to football and support Coventry City!”

In March 2023 a group of Jamie’s family and friends took on the Bath Half Marathon to raise funds for Wiltshire Air Ambulance.

“To meet the crew was unbelievable. We’re so grateful for everything they did for Jamie and it helped to fill in pieces of the jigsaw for us, and Jamie himself.

“The crew were shocked at how well Jamie was because when they last saw him, in their own words, he was ‘extremely poorly’. Now he is standing, walking and talking.

“We didn’t know anything about air ambulances, the fact they aren’t Government funded and they have to raise all the money as a charity to continue their work.”

Dr Cooper added: “We don’t always get the opportunity to see patients again so to see Jamie some 14 months on and witness the incredible recovery he has made puts all the work we do into context.”

To date ‘Team Jamie’ has helped to raise over £10,000, which is the equivalent of paying for more than two lifesaving missions.