Over the last couple of weeks, Ipswich, Qld based, River 94.9Fm has seen two family’s lives completely changed due to horrific accidents.
When Gatton couple Jake and Mikaela witnessed a car crash on Gatton-Helidon Road at Lower Tenthill, their first instinct was to pull over and help. Little did they know, the good deed would land Mikaela in hospital, fighting to save both her pregnancy and her legs.
Her fiancé Jake told River 94.9’s Marnie and Campo that Mikaela is doing fine but worried as she has to undergo more surgery. “They are basically trying to save as much of her left leg that had the compound fracture. She’s now had her fourth operation trying to repair tissue damage. They are hoping if the wound is healed enough, they will be able to do a skin graft”.
The other local family doing it tough is the Boekel family from the Scenic Rim. On the May 14th, Gav’s life changed forever. He left his wife and five kids (18, 17, 12, 9 and 4) in the morning only to be flown out later that day in a helicopter, doctors fighting to save his life.
He was trapped for over three hours in an auger machine. One leg was severed below the knee and the other crushed. He broke his back in seven places and cracked his pelvis. The situation was so intense that he required immediate surgery, on the spot, in the dirty farm yard before being airlifted to Brisbane. Chelle, Gav’s wife, and the kids live at the base of the Toowoomba ranges.
This is a long way to travel twice a day to be near Gav who is going to be in hospital for months to come.
With locals doing it tough, River 94.9 has asked the community to come together and help… and that’s exactly what’s happening tomorrow (Tuesday, 4 June). Marnie and Campo for Breakfast will be broadcasting live from Sprenger’s Rural Traders on the Warrego Highway at Haigslea from 5am till 9am Tuesday (4 June).
Everyone is invited to come along. The Marburg Rural Fire Brigade will be cooking up some awesome Schulte’s sausages. People can purchase a snag with all money going straight to these two amazing families. If people are unable to make it on the morning, donations can be made via the link at river949.com.