An HGV driver who was impaled by a forklift after it crashed into his lorry has reunited with the air ambulance doctor and paramedic who flew to his rescue.
Lee Johnson sustained serious injuries following the incident on Preston Farm industrial estate in Stockton-on-Tees in August 2023.
He said: “There was a heavy impact to my right side, with severe hip pain and loss of movement and feeling in my right leg.
“I couldn’t move due to the impalement and saw a deep laceration to my right arm.”
Emergency Services attended the scene, including paramedics from the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) and a doctor and paramedic from the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS).
Johnson said: “I remember being trapped in the vehicle for at least 45 minutes as I glanced at my tachograph.
“I then started feeling unwell and my vision started deteriorating, with sickness, feeling dizzy and tired.
“I knew something bad was happening and I told the paramedic that I needed to get out of the vehicle.”
One he was removed from the HGV major bleeding was discovered from his back and hip area, which was packed with gauze and the driver was given advanced pain relief including morphine and ketamine.
Johnson, 31, sustained four pelvic fractures, a deep laceration to his upper right arm, degloving of his abdominal wall and back and his right buttock muscle torn away along with major nerve damage.
He was taken to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough in a NEAS ambulance, accompanied by GNAAS’ paramedic and doctor team.
Johnson spent a total of two weeks in hospital and underwent two emergency surgeries to stabilise his pelvis, have his buttock reattached, his wounds debrided and remove necrotic tissue.
The driver said he had to learn how to walk again with the help of physios and a month after being discharged he underwent a skin graft under local anesthetic due to the increased risk from a previous surgery, where his vocal cords spasmed and his airway became blocked.
Johnson said: “It was a very strange experience being awake and aware during the procedure, my surgeon joked that the skin was removed by a Dewalt kebab shaver.
“My recovery has been and continues to be challenging, especially learning to walk again.
“This is something I’ve done for 30 years and taken for granted and it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to overcome.”
On the anniversary of his incident, Johnson’s partner Stacey Nattrass, 30, and his mother Gail and brother Craig took part in a sponsored walk from GNAAS’ base near Eaglescliffe to James Cook University Hospital. Johnson joined them for part of the walk and they collectively raised £1,491.
Nattrass said: “After I learnt what the cost is to attend an incident, I knew I had to do something to try and give back. I owe so much to the service, without them Lee wouldn’t be here.
“It felt amazing to do the walk, we received great support from passing cars and the public. I was proud of Lee who did his best to be involved.
“It felt great to do something for GNAAS, even raising awareness that it is charity funded.”
Following their fundraising, the couple visited GNAAS’ base and met paramedic Terry Sharpe and doctor Tom Gaskarth who treated Johnson.
Johnson said: “It’s like meeting your heroes but they are two normal blokes who fly using a helicopter not a cape.”
Nattrass added: “You never think you need them until you need them. Without GNAAS, Lee wouldn’t have come home.
“The work these guys and girls do is incredible, from the pilot to doctors and paramedics, to all the fundraising staff and volunteers who make events happen.
“They are all life-savers.”
