Shelley & Tarryn’s Story

“You never know when you’ll need the heroes in the sky”

Listen to Shelley & Tarryn recount their heart-wrenching story below:

On New Year’s Eve 2020, a family from Truro were involved in a head-on collision which left a mum and daughter with life-changing injuries.

Shelley Taylor was travelling along the A39 at Calenick with two of her daughters, Tarryn and Caitlin, in the car. They were on their way home from the stables that evening when they were hit by a speeding driver.

It was dark, raining and freezing temperatures when the driver lost control of his car, travelling at speeds of more than 90mph along the 60mph road.

Shelley and her youngest daughter, Tarryn, both suffered life-threatening injuries at the scene.

Tarryn said: “I just remember screaming and my sister telling me it’s going to be okay. I blacked out, woke up again then blacked out again. It was kind of scary because I didn’t know what was happening.”

Tarryn in hospital

Lifesaving operations 100 miles apart

Cornwall Air Ambulance was tasked to the scene, with critical care paramedics Lisa Ball and Pete Storer in a Rapid Response Vehicle. They provided critical care to both patients at the roadside, including administering enhanced pain relief. Due to the severity of their injuries both needed specialist treatment; the crew travelled with them to Royal Cornwall Hospital, while arranging transfers for both patients to facilities out-of-county.

Due to poor weather, search and rescue helicopters were tasked to provide onward transfers. Shelley was flown to Derriford Hospital, while Tarryn was taken to Bristol Royal Children’s Hospital. Both underwent lifesaving operations at hospitals over 100 miles apart.

Shelley suffered a lacerated liver, a lacerated lung, two fractures to her lower back, a broken femur, the steering column went up through her knee, she had a broken arm and ribs, and after the accident she lost her vision for a bit, through shock and trauma. She is now registered disabled and will never fully recover.

“I woke up in hospital, but I thought it was a dream”

She said: “I woke up and was told my daughter is in Bristol Children’s Hospital. It took a while for it to sink in, what had actually happened, it didn’t feel real. And with Covid you couldn’t have any visitors, that was hard. I went through a phase of blaming myself, could I have done anything to prevent the accident, could I have swerved or braked, I’m told there’s nothing I could have done, but you still carry that guilt.”

Tarryn, who was eight at the time, dislocated her neck and suffered a bleed on the brain. She had to have a plate fitted to reconnect her head to her spine.

She said: “I woke up in hospital, but I thought it was a dream. It was scary because I didn’t know what happened and I was so confused. I remember having the halo on and lots of machines either side of me. I had a broken neck, fractured pelvis, fractured ribs and I also broke my collarbone. I was sad because I couldn’t go and see my horses and ride them anymore.”

Tarryn had to learn to walk again. She spent three months in hospital and will never be able to fully participate in physical activities.

Shelley and Tarryn at Cornwall Air Ambulance HQ, in front of the AW109 helicopter

“You never know when you’re going to need them…”

Shelley said: “We wouldn’t be here without Cornwall Air Ambulance, without a doubt, they will always be our heroes. I will never be able to thank them enough for what they’ve done, I just hope they realise how important they are to everyone that they help.

“You never know when you’re going to need them, you need the heroes in the sky”.