David Stanley, from Staffordshire, rode his motorbike to work most days as a technician at a local Peugeot dealership.
Recently, a diversion had changed his route. On his way home, he slowed to a stop at traffic lights in Hammerwich, waiting calmly.When they changed, he pulled away unaware everything was about to change.
A car suddenly came from the right. There was no time to react. The impact was immediate, throwing him from his bike.
He hit the ground hard. He felt a surge of pain and tried to move but couldn’t. His helmet strap had tightened around his neck, restricting his breathing and adding to the panic of the moment.
An off-duty ambulance technician named Josh was passing by and stopped immediately. Recognising the risk of further injury, he made sure David’s helmet stayed in place while carefully supporting it to ease pressure on his neck. Another motorcyclist who had witnessed the collision also stopped to help.
Josh stayed calm and reassuring, speaking to David while calling for support from his colleague Ash. Emergency services were soon on their way.When Ash arrived, they worked together to assess David’s injuries. Confident there were no serious spinal concerns, they carefully removed his helmet, bringing immediate relief.
Midlands Air Ambulance Charity’s critical care team landed nearby and quickly took over David’s care. His leg was badly injured, and the pain was intense. The team fitted a splint and administered ketamine to help manage his condition.
As the medication began to take effect, David recalls a surreal moment. “The clouds looked so strange, almost unreal,” he said.
“I just kept saying, ‘look at the pretty clouds…pretty clouds…’”.
Despite the haze, one thing remained constant, a calm voice reassuring him and checking he was responsive. That voice belonged to critical care paramedic Fay Pollock.
David was stabilised and taken by land ambulance to Walsall Manor Hospital. Scans revealed the full extent of his injuries, including a shattered right hip, a fractured lower ulna, breaks in his right foot and a severely damaged shoulder joint. He was later transferred to Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, where he underwent several operations, including reconstruction of his hip and pelvis and a full shoulder replacement. In total, he spent five weeks in hospital.
Returning home marked the start of a long recovery. For three months, he was largely bed bound while his injuries healed.
During that time, he and his wife spent hours watching television, including a programme featuring Midlands Air Ambulance Charity. Although sometimes difficult to watch due to his PTSD, something stood out to him, a familiar voice. It was Fay.
As part of his recovery, David was encouraged to seek closure. When the opportunity came to visit the charity’s Cosford airbase, he took it. By chance, he met Fay there.When he mentioned the “pretty clouds,” she immediately remembered him.
Since then, David and his wife have returned with Leroy and Kensi, their two border collie therapy dogs, supporting staff wellbeing days through their Pets in Hospital work.
“There are no words that can truly express what the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity team did for me,” David says. “Not just on the day, but afterwards as well. Fay’s voice stayed with me when I needed it most and meeting her again helped me find the closure I’d been looking for.”
Fay & David
