Mum's warning after son suffers horrific injuries at skate park
WARNING – GRAPHIC CONTENT: A mother has warned other parents to make sure their children wear adequate protection at skate parks after her son suffered horrific injuries to his face.
Mel Waller, from Bridgetown, southwest WA, took to social media on Monday to share several graphic images of her 12-year-old son, Hayden, after “breaking every bone in his face”.
Hayden was riding his scooter without a helmet at Bridgetown skate park on Mother’s Day when he fell, smashing his head off the concrete.
“I’m posting this to make other parents aware of the dangers of not wearing a helmet at our local skate park,” Ms Waller wrote online.
Hayden was rushed to Perth’s Princess Margaret Hospital on Monday after suffering several fractures to his skull.
His mother says despite his horrific injuries, he is recovering well and by Monday evening he was able to walk around the hospital.
But Ms Waller says others who suffer similar injuries may not be as lucky as her son and wants to change the way people approach skate park safety.
She has urged all parents to ensure their children don’t leave home without the correct safety gear after her son’s near fatal accident.
“I’m making this my new mission to prevent it happening to other children,” she told Yahoo7 News.
“I strongly ask every child that rides down there to wear a helmet and parents to make sure they do.”
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Ms Waller says she now plans to install signs at Bridgetown skate park warning users to wear helmets while riding, a move she says has been backed by local police.
“No helmet, no ride,” the mother suggested as a new safety slogan.