Sky-Joy Bennett sustained severe injuries on Friday 9th September 2022, when a vehicle struck her while she was out for a walk in Rugeley, Staffordshire.
Sky, a vibrant 16-year-old, loved various sports such as horse riding andmotorbiking. Sky was also an activemember of the police cadets and was two days into her new college course of public services. However, during a leisurely stroll to the shops in Rugeley, the day took an unfortunate turn when an oil tanker knocked Sky over. The immense force propelled Sky beneath the vehicle’s wheels.
A passer-by who witnessed the incident quickly alerted the driver of the situation and proceeded to call the emergency services.
Our pre-hospital emergencymedicine doctor and critical care paramedic, based at Cosford were rapidly dispatched via air ambulance, and initiated lifesaving care..
After careful examination, the charity’s crew identified Sky had sustainedmultiple traumatic injuries, including severe damage to her right leg and knee, three fractured ribs and wounds on her pelvis and groin.
Ryan Ferris, critical care paramedic for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity said: “When we arrived on scene we administered sedation drugs, this was to allow us to manipulate her right leg back into place and to also ensure she received advanced analgesia (pain relief).
“Sky had also lost a lot of blood due to her injuries, so we administered Tranexamic Acid (TXA), a clotting agent, and Calcium.We did this to minimise any further blood loss and support her body for the blood she had already lost. Sky was also given antibiotics due to her multiple open wounds to prevent her from infection.”
Sky was airlifted to themajor trauma centre at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), where she remained in intensive care for two weeks. Due to the extent of her injuries, Sky required surgical intervention and underwent procedures on 16 separate occasions.
Following these treatments, Sky continued her recovery in hospital for an additional eight weeks with the companionship of her mother, Lisa, and regular visits from friends and family.
Sky and Lisa acknowledged how Midlands Air Ambulance Charity’s pre-hospital emergency service was vital for her survival and recovery, with the service providing swift transportation to receive urgent medical treatment at the most suitable hospital for her injuries. Sky’s life has undergone a dramatic transformation following the incident. Previously, she enjoyed horse riding, but now she is in the process of learning to walk again with crutches.
Sky said: “I am grateful to all those who kept me alive and took care of me. The love and support from people has been crucial in helping me overcome this challenging recovery and will continue to fuel my progress.”
Since learning about our lifesaving charity, Sky expressed her desire to actively raise funds for us. She believes this will serve two purposes -maintaining her focus on helping others in need while also expressing gratitude towards the organisation’s efforts by showing support through donations.
On the one-year anniversary of the incident, Sky set up a JustGiving page and asked people to wear red to support Midlands Air Ambulance Charity.
