Wisbech farmer impaled by forklift raises £45K to thank life-saving teams
He's lucky to be alive after the accident on a farm.
Last updated 19th Nov 2021
Jonathan Willis, who's 42 and from Wisbech, narrowly missed death by millimetres after a forklift tine entered his body through his lower back and exited through his abdomen.
One year after the accident, the Willis family held a charity ball and raised over £45,000 to thank the East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) for their role in Jonathan's rescue and continue offering their services for those in need.
The accident happened last October when Jonathan was working on his farm in Wisbech. He got down off his forklift while unloading a cargo of straw bales to undo some straps on the trailer. The forklift rolled forward as he stood between the forklift and the trailer, impaling him on one of the tines, which had a sharp point for grabbing the straw bales. Jonathan raised the alarm with his wife, Wendy, who called 999.
The East Anglian Air Ambulance arrived in just seven minutes, providing life-saving care for Jonathan. Crews from the air ambulance worked with the ambulance, police and fire and rescue teams for around 45 minutes to assess the injuries. They coordinated the complex extrication process to try and get Jonathan safely to Addenbrooke's Hospital.
Wendy Willis, Jonathan's wife, said: "We know that without the enhanced skills of the air ambulance team that day, Jonathan wouldn't have made it to hospital. They took control of the situation – which was like living my worst nightmare – and made all the right decisions that got him to the right hospital and the right surgeon with a fighting chance.
"We were then so incredibly lucky that Jonathan had one of the best surgeons in the country leading his operation. The Addenbrooke's team quite literally worked miracles in the operating theatre that night and ensured that Jonathan came home to me and our five children in one piece."
Led by surgeon Mr Emmanuel Huguet, the surgical teams worked throughout the night to save Jonathan.
The operation took almost seven hours, and the thick steel tine was safely removed, despite being just millimetres from causing life-threatening internal bleeding and damaging vital organs.
Jonathan was discharged just two weeks later to recover at home, although it took almost five months for his wounds to heal fully.
EAAA Consultant Dr Nathan Howes said: "I'll never forget the sense of humour he maintained until we reached the operating theatre. It felt like treating a friend. I have been amazed by his survival and recovery, and I am so grateful to Jonathan and Wendy for visiting us a year later. These stories sustain us and help keep us ready for the next call."