Kerang boy’s remarkable recovery after quad bike accident

When Mitchell Wilson, 11 years old at the time, had a serious fall off a quad bike on his family’s farm in Kerang, he wasn’t expected to make a full recovery.

Mitchell, who wasn’t wearing a helmet, suffered serious head injuries and spent 21 days in a coma after an air ambulance took him to hospital.

But a year and a half later, Mitchell has blown everyone away, surviving the accident, recovering with what appears to be no lasting effects, and now making a name for himself in the sport of clay shooting.

On the day of the accident in late November 2023, Mitchell was helping out his parents by riding the quad bike across the farm to turn off the watering.

A short time later, Mitchell’s dad Andrew saw the quad bike unattended and found his young son lying nearby, drifting in and out of consciousness.

Mitchell’s parents called Triple Zero (000) and Ambulance Victoria (AV) paramedics and an Ambulance Community Officer (ACO) soon arrived. After assessing Mitchell, they knew he would need to be airlifted to Melbourne, concerned about the potential of a brain injury.

Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (MICA) Flight Paramedic Nathan Widdeson arrived on one of AV’s air ambulance helicopters and managed Mitchell’s condition on the way to hospital.

“We’re lucky in Victoria to have such highly equipped air ambulances – we’re essentially able to bring elements of hospital-level care to a farm in Kerang,” Nathan said.

“We were worried Mitchell might have sustained a brain injury and we also had to assess what other serious injuries he may have had.

“I performed an ultrasound on Mitchell’s chest and abdomen to check for a collapsed lung or serious internal injuries and bleeding. Preparations to place him into an induced coma were also made in case his conditioned worsened.”

Mitchell was airlifted to The Royal Children’s Hospital, where he spent a total of 69 days, his parents by his side the entire time.

“At one point, they were one day off talking to us about turning off his life support,” Andrew said.

“But that day, he suddenly put his hand up in the air as if to say ‘hey, I’m here’. That day turned from one of the worst to one of the best.

“Words can’t describe how grateful we are – the paramedics and ACO not only saved his life, but their quick action also prevented a long-term disability.

“It's a credit to everybody – the paramedics, the nurses, the doctors. If everyone hadn't responded as quickly as they did, he wouldn't be here.”

Mitchell and his family today reunited with Nathan and some of the air ambulance crew. Nathan said it was special to see the now 13-year-old recovered.

“I’ve been a paramedic for nearly 16 years and Mitchell is just the fourth patient I’ve met – we don’t get the opportunity very often,” Nathan said.

“It’s lovely for a patient to think of you afterwards and want to catch up and say thank you.”

Since the accident, Mitchell has been determined to prove what he can achieve, taking up clay shooting and quickly ascending up the ranks of the sport.

“To have the hand-eye coordination when he didn’t even start walking unassisted until mid-March last year, it’s quite incredible,” Andrew said.

“We’re in amazement of what he’s achieving. We’re so grateful to have him alive.”