Logging accident victim lucky to be alive

A Picton teenager who suffered a severe brain injury in a freak forestry accident is lucky to be alive.

Brayden Allen, 17, was struck on the head by a falling rock while working on a forestry block on March 1.

He suffered a traumatic brain injury, a bleed on his brain, a fractured skull, fractured orbital lobe and had 17 stitches above his eye and four on his cheek.

The brave teenager now faces possible plastic surgery as he begins his battle back to health.

Mum Erin Ellis says her son is dealing with daily pain but determined to get well as soon as possible.

“He’s pretty amazing this kid and taking it all in his stride.”

Brayden had been at work at a logging operation site near Seddon when he was hurt.

Recovering at home after being discharged from Wairau Hospital earlier this month, Brayden says he remembers the moment the rock struck.

“My boss reckoned it was the size of his fist. There was blood pouring from my head and when I was laying on the hillside, I did wonder if I’d make it.

“I remember the paramedic arriving and being put in the helicopter but that’s all I remember until I woke up in Wellington Hospital with all my family there.”

Brayden was first flown to Nelson Hospital but due to the severity of his injuries was transferred to Wellington Hospital.

The former Queen Charlotte College student started his career in logging 18 months ago and says he can’t wait to get back to it.

But with a piece of his skull still twisted behind his eye socket, it will be a while before Brayden gets the all clear.

“The mornings are harder for me with pain in my eye but it gets better as the day goes on.

“I’m counting down the days till I can go back to work to be honest, I can walk but I can’t drive yet because of my eye.”

Brayden was working on the same site as two colleagues when the accident happened.

That they got to him so quickly, probably helped save his life, he says.

“He didn’t see me get hit as he was looking up the hill but did see me tumble down.

‘He asked if I was okay and I was like, not really.

“I’d like to also say a big thank you to the paramedics and the people who helped me. They saved my butt.”

Erin says it was her husband who broke the news of Brayden’s accident.

“I missed a couple of calls from Brayden’s boss as I was at work. They got my husband who rang me, which was a nicer way to hear the news.

“We rang Wairau Hospital as we thought it was just a cut in his head at this point but then they told us he was being flown to Nelson. We got there [Nelson] just in time and I was able to go in the helicopter with him.

“My husband drove straight back to Picton and flew over.

“We’ll know more once Brayden has his follow up appointments in Wellington but he is almost his bright, bubbly self.

“There are hard days for us all, but he’s just getting on with it.

“We would also like to thank the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter and paramedics, the Nelson Emergency department and the Wellington Emergency department, the surgical team in the ophthalmology department and the team at 7 south ward in Wellington hospital.”

Worksafe NZ have launched an investigation into the incident.

A Givealittle page has been set up by a friend of the family to help Brayden and his family while he recovers. To donate visit Brayden’s recovery journey - Givealittle