Kaiden Harris suffered life-altering injuries when he crashed his off-road motorbike while riding on a Far North Queensland beach.
After almost four months in hospital, the Townsville local has now been able to thank the first responders who gave him a second chance of life.
And he is warning other young riders to wear the right safety gear.
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At just 14 years old, Kaiden is paralysed from the waist down after a “freak accident”.
Like he had done many times before, Kaiden took his off-road motorbike to the Salt Flats near North Shore Blvd at Bushland Beach in September last year.
“I was going too fast on the motorbike maybe and then went over a burn and crashed,” Kaiden said, although he doesn’t remember much of the accident itself.
He was critically injured with a crushed spinal cord, internal injuries, five broken ribs, collapsed lungs and a fractured femur.
Kaiden Harris was paralysed from the waist down due to the injuries sustained in the crash. Credit: 7NEWS Despite a nine-hour emergency surgery to decompress his spinal cord and fuse his spine, the injury was too significant and Kaiden is now a paraplegic.
He spent seven days in Townsville ICU before being transferred by Royal Flying Doctors Service to Queensland Children’s Hospital in Brisbane where he stayed for 106 days for his recovery and rehabilitation.
“It’s not like he was inexperienced, it was just a freak accident, I suppose, and we almost got the worst result possible,” Kaiden’s father, Glen Harris, said.
“Kaiden is an experienced rider and was wearing all the right gear on the day and that is one of the only reasons he is here today.
“Now we want to bring awareness to the issue and make sure all kids are wearing the right gear when they are out riding.”
Kaiden’s father Glen said his son had been riding motorbikes for 10 years before the crash. Credit: Supplied While he doesn’t remember much of the day of the accident, Kaiden said he does remember first responders providing comfort in his moments of fear and how they worked tirelessly to save his life.
On Wednesday, Kaiden had the chance to meet the people who helped save his life, saying he remembers joking with first responders and the support and kindness they showed.
“It is good to be here and see the officers and paramedics that were there on the day,” he said.
Constable James Pegg was one of the first to arrive and immediately provided first aide to stabilise Kaiden before paramedics arrived.
“He was an absolute trouper the whole way through the incident and it is amazing to see him today,” Pegg said.
“It is great to be able to be here with paramedics and Kaiden’s whole family and see the result of the hard work that all first responders do each and every day.”
Advanced care paramedic Chimaraoke Okoro said he knew they needed to act quickly and stabilise Kaiden to get him to hospital.
“He was a very good patient and extremely brave,” Okoro said.
“This is one of the jobs that has stuck with me. We don’t often get to meet our patients after, but it is great be able to meet Kaiden again today and see how great he is doing.”
Kaiden Harris with first responders and his parents Kirsty and Glen. Credit: Queensland Police Advanced care paramedic Chimaraoke Okoro said Kaiden was ‘extremely brave’ while paramedics worked on him after the accident. Credit: Queensland Police Since the accident Kaiden has continued to rebuild his life and navigate the world with a disability.
He continues to stay active and now plays wheelchair basketball with the Townsville SunCity Wheelers.
“The strength and determination he has shown, over the past six months, is incredible,” his mother, Kristy Harris, said.
“He has faced so many challenges since the accident, from learning to sit up again to learning how to use a wheelchair, but he has pushed himself to the limit to get to where he is today.”