It’s #AirAmbulanceWeek so I’m going to share my story. Not for attention or sympathy but to raise awareness of the incredible work our Air Ambulances do.
Back story for context: I was brought up by my Grandparents from the age of 5 years old.

My parents divorced when I was 2. My sister and I went to live with our Mother but it didn’t work out. Our Grandparents stepped up and I was brought up by my Mums parents and my sister by our Dads parents.

My Grandparents became my parents. My Grom did everything for me. First day of school, holidays, clubs, sports, crafts, everyday life. She was wonderful and she was, and still, my hero.

22 years ago on 9th September 1998 I was a month off 14 years old and coming home from School on the bus. We saw some commotion ahead. Flashing lights etc. There had been a car accident.

Something inside me knew it was someone I knew. It was a gut feeling and ever since then I have always trusted my gut feeling on everything.

We got closer and the bus stopped. A policeman told the driver to take a diversion and that someone had died at the scene. I tried to read the number plate but my eyes were bad and I couldn’t make it out. But I knew it was a blue ford mondeo. Our car.

My friend read the number plate for me. She said the first few digits and I asked her to stop. I had heard enough. I knew.

I asked the policeman if I could get off the bus. I said that is my Grandparents car that I live with. He said I’m sorry but even if it is I can’t let you off. Go home and if it is then a policeman will be waiting for you.

That’s what he said to a 13 year old absolutely crapping her pants at what was happening right in front of her eyes. Not saying that was wrong, but it was hard.

The bus took a detour. I was panicking big time. 10 minutes felt like hours. It finally got to our village and I ran all the way home. Praying so hard that I was wrong, and that it wasn’t our car.

I got home and the dogs were howling, the door was locked and the car was not on the drive. I sat on the front step and started to cry. My next door neighbour came out and passed on a message from the police and told me to wait for my other grandma to come and fetch me.

She got there minutes later and I went to her house that night. I was told my Grandpa was OK but my Grandma was “critical but stable”. I have since learnt that his means “machines are keeping her alive”.

The Air Ambulance took her to hospital. A 30 minute journey by road took six minutes by air. They got her to the hospital alive which I am eternally grateful for. Because of instead of dying on that day, she died 20 days later.

It was still horrendous of course, we hoped for 20 days that she would survive somehow. But her injuries were too bad and they turned her machines off on 29th September , a week before my birthday.

My life has never been the same since. I miss her every single day. She was the only Mum I’ve known. She meant so much to so many people. But I want to thank @LNAACT again for what they did. They tried, and they helped, and they gave us those 20 days.

I’m sure that if she had gone to hospital by road, she would have passed away on the way there. So 20 days were gifted to us by this incredible service that relies on donations and fundraising to operate.

I know that @RoyalFamily have released a lovely statement today praising the work of the Air Ambulance which I know has raised lots of awareness.

I hope my story will also raise some much needed exposure for the often forgotten “4th emergency service”.

If you or your loved ones are in a bad way, and need to get to hospital quickly, your best chance of survival is by Air. Especially if you live in a remote area like we did.

Thank you for reading if you got this far, and if you ever want a charity to support, please think of your local Air Ambo.