Dad faces life as a quadriplegic after freak log accident
A dad-of-two is facing life as a quadriplegic after being struck by a rogue log while clearing trees around his home.
Matthew Don was working on his property in the Perth Hills with his dad on Sunday last week when a log suddenly flung towards him and forced him to the ground, snapping his neck.
The 32-year-old was rushed to hospital paralysed from the neck down, arriving in the Intensive Care Unit with a shattered C4 vertebrae and severe damage to his spinal cord.
His wife, Kirsty Mulholland, said he knew instantly he was unlikely to use his legs again.
“He knew straight away. He told me straight away, that it’s done, he’s not going to walk again,” she told The West.
His family expect he will remain in ICU for the next six to 12 months as he recovers, according to a GoFundMe page established to assist with costs associated with his medical bills.
“We have come together as a family and are still trying to process the enormous impact this will have on all our lives,” the family said in a joint statement to the page.
Mr Don has two daughters, Piper and Luna with Mrs Mullholland, who is grappling to come to terms with the “grief and shock” of the incident.
“We have come together as a family and are still trying to process the enormous impact this will have on all our lives,” the statement read.
“Our family is still in a great amount of shock and our main priority is stabilising Matt’s health and the lives of his precious family, Kirsty, Piper and Luna.
“Everyone’s support and love is so greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for your contribution and for sharing this page on your social media.”
“As we are, and we are sure everyone else will be in such disbelief and sadness, we ask that our privacy is kept in mind as we are still trying to work our way through our grief and shock.
“All your messages have been received with love and your offers of assistance are greatly appreciated and we would like to take those offers up at a later date.”
Mr Don, who works as an economist, is being treated in Perth Royal Hospital as he recovers, while Mrs Mullholland, a nurse, knows all too well the challenges ahead of him.
“(The) only thing keeping me standing (is) all the love,” she said.
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