CARAVANNER Geoff Maher had relived the horror of being trapped with his
wife for hours in the mangled wreckage of their 4WD after a fatal head-on
crash in Victoria.
It took emergency crews more than three hours to free him and wife
Carol from the Toyota LandCruiser after an Apollo campervan, driven by a
German tourist, smashed into the front of their tow vehicle in April.
The campervan driver died and four other travellers were airlifted to
hospital from the horrific crash site on the Portland - Nelson Road at
Mount Richmond.
Now 71-year-old Geoff, who is still in recovering in hospital, wants to
thank all the people who helped save his and his wife Carol's lives.
"But for them we would not be here today,"
the former truckie and mechanic told Caravanning News.
"We were so lucky to survive. There will still be a lot of therapy for us both and life is not the same. But we fared much better than the other vehicle."
Geoff suffered a broken femur, hip, pelvis, nine ribs, sternum, two back
fractures, smashed arm and a brain bleed.
His wife, 70, had a fractured leg, broken ribs and a brain injury.
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The rear of the Mahers' 4WD
finished up
embedded in the caravan due to the force
of the head-on impact. Photo: Border Watch |
The Mahers were on the first week of a month-long holiday in their 21ft
Jayco and were heading towards Adelaide with friends on April 2 when their
world was turned upside down.
"We were doing the grey nomad thing and were involved in a head-on
accident with a hired campervan that was unfortunately on the wrong side
of the road," he explained.
"I tried pulling as far left as I could to miss the oncoming vehicle but
it speared straight into our Toyota LandCruiser towing our Jayco caravan.
"My wife was unconscious from the impact and we were seriously trapped."
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Geoff pictured in hospital
shortly
after the horrific crash |
Geoff described how their 4WD erupted in flames and how truckies
desperately fought the fire with extinguishers.
"They were on the last extinguisher when the emergency services arrived,"
he recalled.
"I was in extreme pain but awake the whole time and did know what was
happening. I just thought: 'get me out of here'.
"After the fire was put out, I am told, it took the emergency services
three-and-a-half hours to cut us out of the wreck of our LandCruiser."
The Mahers were rushed to Portland Hospital, with Geoff later being
airlifted to The Alfred in Melbourne for many hours of surgery.
His wife was taken to the same hospital the following day.
On May 22 they were transferred to Wyong Hospital in NSW to be closer to
family and their home.
"My wife has been home in the care of our oldest son and I have now been
moved to a rehab centre at Long Jetty. It will be my final transition
before I go home," Geoff said.
"Hopefully I will be home by the end of July, fingers crossed."
Geoff said it was very sad there had been a fatality and his thoughts were
with the overseas travellers.
"Their extraordinary Australian holiday was cut short in tragic
circumstances," he said.
He paid tribute to everyone who had helped at the crash scene.
"But for them, Carol and I would not be alive ... they did a
magnificent job," he said.
"It is difficult to find the right words as 'thank you' just doesn't seem
a big enough expression of what we feel and what we wish to say to those
who helped us.
"From the truck drivers who ran with their fire extinguishers to the SES
and members of the public who did all they could to try to save us.
"To the ambulances drivers, helicopter medicos, nurses, doctors, theatre
staff, intensive care staff, therapists, social workers, food ladies, TAC
and cleaners with their sense of humour and a joke ... thanks to you all.
"You are all extraordinary people."
Geoff said the experience had not put him off caravanning.
"I have been a caravanner for as long as I can remember, my dad had
caravans," he explained.
"I can't wait to get home ... I already have a new caravan selected, a
Jayco Expanda. I am looking forward to getting back on the road."
