Boxing Day 2013 started out feeling typically bloated from the previous day's festive feast.

Around midday whilst waiting for my wife to get out the shower, I had a phone call stating there had been an accident somewhere between Newcastle Emlyn and Cardigan and they think it is Josie and Cora (Our prospective Daughter in-law & Granddaughter.) No one else could drive as they were in no fit state due to festive drinks the night before.

I didn't wait for my wife to get out the shower, I just shouted that I had to go as there had been an accident. 

I drove the 20+ miles in good time, trying to work out where I would start my search. Mind praying its not a serious one and heart pounding, I started my search from Cardigan and headed off towards New Castle Emlyn. Just after Llechryd I could see a chap standing in the road waving his arms by a road closed sign. I wound the window down and he said, the road was blocked and its serious. I could feel the terror welling up inside, so I calmly explained who I was and asked him to move aside.

I drove very slowly around the bend and my eyes focused on the car in bits in front of me. A friendly face; PC Gary Williams soon came running to my door and asked what I was doing there. I explained that the car belonged to our Granddaughters mother - I could visibly see the blood drain from his face. I asked him how bad things are and he said he couldn't tell me. So I probed further and asked if they were breathing, he said "Mum was". My legs buckled instantly. He said Cora had been taken by the Air Ambulance and I should get to the hospital as soon as possible.

I drove back to Cardigan Police Station, where I met Josie's parents, trying to focus only on positive thoughts, we made a plan that two of us would head to University Hospital Wales Cardiff to find out what was happening with Cora and the other two would head off to Carmarthen to support Josie.

We arrived at Cardiff and was told to wait in the relatives room, a Police Officer was in there and he explained we would have to wait it out as Cora was in Surgery as she had serious head injuries. We waited for hours, supported by one another and the Police. 

Eventually, a nurse came in and said we could see Cora, although warned beforehand, nothing could prepare us for the sight we were faced with in intensive care. The life support equipment beeping and whooshing from the ventilator was soon silenced by the words " The next 24hrs are critical".

We returned home to hear Josie was ok in Carmarthen and sat up in bed talking. I stayed at home the following day, as a centre point of contact for the family members spread between Carmarthen & Cardiff hospitals. Then Josie's father called me to say Josie had deteriorated suddenly. 

December 29th surrounded by her family and loved ones, Josie passed away. There are no words which can explain the level of loss and sadness to lose such a beautiful, loving and intelligent 19 year old.

Utterly Heart broken, we made a plan and returned to Cardiff the following day. Cora was taken off of Life Support after three days and gradually began to open one eye. She didn't speak, laugh or cry; only one eye would follow the Doctors and Nurses around as they changed her feeding tube and tended to the many stitches and cuts covering her face and head.

One day two guys turned up at the hospital ward holding a small brown teddy bear wearing a brown leather jacket. They were asking how Cora was doing and so we explained her progress to them. It then became obvious that the two guys were from the Wales Air Ambulance (Pilot Grant Elgar) & (Medic Ross Griffin). Over the weeks and months we were in Cardiff Hospital with Cora, Grant & Ross would call in whenever they landed to see how Cora was. By default, they instantly became friends for life.

Cora battled and battled to learn to speak, walk and eat again by herself. She continues to progress and recover from her injuries and is now attending main stream school.

With 100% certainty, if it were not for the Wales Air Ambulance she would not have survived her injuries. Llechryd to Cardiff by road would normally take 2hrs; Wales Air Ambulance 17 mins; this really does make the difference between Life & Death.

I am riding around the perimeter of Wales on my Motorcycle, as a mark of respect to Wales Air Ambulance and to raise awareness for this life saving charity; hopefully a couple of £££'s for them on the way. I would ask everyone to spare a little change in support, as from experience, you never know when you or a loved one may need them.

Wales Air Ambulance Charity is funded by the people of Wales and requires £6.5 million a year to keep its four helicopters in the sky, serving Wales and saving lives. The charity can be anywhere in Wales within 20 minutes, its doctors and medics fly the A&E deptartment to the patient. 

It also runs the Children's Wales Air Ambulance service, transferring vulnerable babies and children to the specialist hospitals across the UK.Your donations will help keep this vital service in Wales.