Great Western Air Ambulance Charity’s (GWAAC) Critical Care Team was called to a horrific head-on road traffic collision in Cirencester in Gloucestershire.

Specialist Paramedic Pete described their patient, Simon, as “one of the most broken people I've ever seen.” His devastating traumatic injuries meant the GWAAC crew needed to perform lifesaving surgery on the roadside, give multiple blood transfusions, and take over his breathing.

Watch this video to learn how the skills and quick decision-making of the GWAAC Critical Care Team including paramedics and a doctor gave Simon a second chance at life. Simon himself says, "I should be dead but I’m still alive.”

The crew got Simon to hospital alive, and with a fighting chance of survival.

And fight he did! Simon has defied the odds by learning to walk, talk, eat, and breathe for himself again. But Simon’s life was set back to zero after the head-on road traffic collision. He’d only popped out to the local supermarket!

Great Western Air Ambulance Charity attends the most critical incidents by helicopter and car, serving 2.1 million people across the region of Gloucestershire, South Gloucestershire, Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, and parts of Wiltshire. GWAAC’s Critical Care Team consists of a highly trained and experienced Pilot, a Specialist Paramedic in Critical Care, and a Critical Care Doctor.

Each mission costs on average over £2,200, the crew gets called out more than five times a day and the charity need to raise over £4 million each year.

Although GWAAC is part of the regional 999 response service and works closely with NHS hospitals, it is a charity entirely funded by local people just like you. Thanks to your generosity GWAAC’s crew not only save lives, they also improve patient outcomes.

GWAAC was there for Simon, will you help them be there for the next person in urgent need of lifesaving care?