Family 'blessed' to be alive this Christmas after horror crash

Friday, 13 December 2019

The Byrne family from Christchurch were in Marlborough when dad Steven Byrne had a medical event at the wheel, crashing at 127kmh through a fence.

Dianne Byrne grabbed the wheel of the car as she tried to wake her husband in the driver's seat and take his foot off the accelerator at the same time.

She managed to avoid two oncoming cars before she lost control. The car, carrying her two children, crashed through a fence at 127kmh, rolled six times and landed upside down in a paddock in Marlborough.

The Christchurch family had travelled to Blenheim on June 22 for 14-year-old Evan's gymnastics competition.

They arrived at Byrne's cousins' house in Okaramio, between Blenheim and Havelock, unpacked their bags and set out for lunch and a walk around the Havelock marina.

READ MORE:

The Byrne family are feeling lucky to be alive this Christmas after their car crashed off the road at 127kmh when dad Steve suffered a medical event.

*** Fundraiser for Christchurch family involved in serious crash

* Air Rescue Service gets personal donation from two-times patient

* Former coworker doing Westpac Chopper Ride in support of colleague**

Steven Byrne said the walk was the last thing he can remember from that day.

He suffered a medical event at the wheel, something he had never experienced before, just a few minutes away from their relatives' home.

'He just locked up. His hands went rigid and his foot slammed flat down on the accelerator,' Dianne Byrne said.

The impact of the crash left the Byrne family's car almost unrecognisable.

They were travelling about 95kmh when she was forced to take control of the wheel from the passenger seat while trying to wake her husband.

She lost control as the car flew off the road and hit a culvert at an estimated 127kmh.

It became airborne, cleared a farm paddock fence and smashed into the ground before rolling six times through the paddock and landing upside down.

'I remember thinking at the time, 'this is it. It's over'. I really thought it was all over,' son Evan said.

Steven Byrne and daughter Grace, 7, were both unresponsive with head injuries. Byrne was hanging above the ground, held in the driver's seat by his seatbelt.

Emergency services arrived at the crash scene shortly after it happened at 12.35pm on June 22.

Dianne Byrne was flown from the car as it rolled through the paddock, smashing her head on the window as she went through it.

Police have since said it was a miracle she was not crushed by the car after she was thrown from it. She had removed her seatbelt as she tried to lift Steven's foot from the accelerator.

Evan, still conscious and with just minor injuries, was aware he could fall on his sister and managed to climb from the car and free himself.

The car rolled several times at high speed, creating a difficult scene for first responders.

After the crash, doctors commented on how Evan's gymnast skills apparently came in handy, as he rolled and flowed with the momentum of the car as it spun through the air.

Dianne Byrne said as she came to, she heard first responders saying they expected no survivors based on the condition of the car.

All four members of the family were still alive though, and in the hands of emergency services.

Intensive care paramedic Kath was on duty with air rescue that day and recalled the scene.

'With the impact and force of the vehicle rolling in this way at over 100kmh we knew there would be major trauma,' she said.

The Byrne family reunited with air rescue paramedic Kath Copland, right, who was with Steven Byrne for the majority of the day after the crash.

'Both critical patients … were taken to Wellington Hospital (via helicopter) as it was closer and time was of the essence.'

Without air rescue services, Steven Byrne and Grace would not have survived.

'We are blessed, there's no other way to put it,' Steven Byrne said.

Dave Greenberg has written a book on his time with the Westpac rescue helicopter.

Because of the injuries he sustained in the crash, doctors could not determine what caused him to fall ill at the wheel.

Grace was flown back from Starship Hospital to Christchurch courtesy of the New Zealand Flying Doctors.

Evan knows how lucky his family were after seeing emergency crews treat his dad and sister.

'I just don't know what would have happened without the rescue helicopter. I am so glad they came and helped us,' he said.

'We are going to have the best Christmas. I really don't want a thing, just having a family is all I need.'

Despite the importance of air rescue in crashes like these, the services do not receive full funding.

Air Rescue chief executive Christine Prince said the Christmas and holiday periods were the busiest times of year for the service, and this year had been especially busy.

'The use of our service in November was up 44 per cent on the same month last year; if there's a time of year we need support it's right now,' she said.

'The Byrne family truly believe they wouldn't be here without us and that's why they've been helping us raise funds.'

Both the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue and the New Zealand Flying Doctors Service were instrumental in the rescue of the Byrne family. People can donate to both services on their websites or by calling 03 358 8244.