On Sunday 12 March 2017, Rich, one of our much loved and admired colleagues was in an extremely serious road traffic accident.
Rich is a keen cyclist and was out with his cycling group in Leicester when a car struck several of the cycling group. Rich took the brunt of the collision, suffering injuries, both internal and external.
Rich’s life was saved at the scene by a passing anaesthetist along with a nurse who happened to be in the cycling group. Rich was airlifted to hospital where NHS staff worked to save his life. Rich remained in intensive care for several weeks, where, after an induced coma lasting over a week, he had a number of surgeries on his abdomen and shoulder blade with great success.
Fighting for his life, Rich has been taken to theatre for surgery a total of 9 times to attend to internal organs, spine and other fractures and to receive live saving ECMO treatment.
His ability to pull through each injury and complication and to respond so amazingly well to every treatment has been and continues to be just incredible.
During all this time and specially during the darkest hours when the prospect was the worst and Monica had the heart breaking task to prepare their boys for the loss of their dad.
Rich is now out of hospital, however, he continues to fight to recover and to get to some normality in the long months ahead.
It will continue to be a tough battle for the whole family touched by these tragic circumstances so we (a group of Rich & Monica’s colleagues and friends who wanted to do something to support them) are asking for your help and assistance with their life changing predicament by donating what you can, every little bit helps to help with Rich’s road to recovery to give this lovely family a much needed and well deserved holiday when they are able to do so. Any surplus funds will be donated to the air ambulance that airlifted Rich enabling this recovery journey for him and his family to happen.