Andrew’s story

Andrew Searle was working on a farm near Helston when he fell from height, suffering a traumatic brain injury.

It was the end of the day back in 2009, and Andrew had been leading the team who were harvesting the potatoes when the gate jammed. He decided to use a forklift and pallet to get up to the top to fix it, but when he moved across wooden planks it tipped. Andrew fell onto the concrete below, hitting his head.

Cornwall Air Ambulance was tasked to the scene, with the helicopter landing in one of the farm’s fields. The paramedics stabilised Andrew before airlifting him straight to Derriford Hospital, the region’s major trauma centre.

Andrew had swelling to the brain, luckily, he had not suffered any internal bleeding, but his family were told he may not survive. He was placed into an induced coma for three weeks, and spent a month in Derriford before he was transferred to Treliske for a further two months. “I knew I’d survive, I always knew”, said Andrew. “I’m always positive and that’s the way I was.”

Once he was discharged, Andrew had to go through rehabilitation. He eventually went back to work on the family farm and 15 years later only mildly struggles with communication as a result of his brain injury.

Andrew said: “If it wasn’t for the crew, I wouldn’t be here, I wouldn’t be alive. I don’t think a road ambulance would have gotten me there quick enough, but the air ambulance got me there quickly and saved my life. They helped me and they’re helping a lot more people now.”

Since his incident Andrew has become a keen runner, he is now hoping to take on the Cornish Marathon to raise money for Cornwall Air Ambulance.