Community & Business
1 March, 2023
Long road ahead for Axel
AXEL Polmear was quad biking with his mates when he rolled into a ditch, breaking his spine and causing severe internal bleeding, prompting his family to urge people to be safe when riding quad bikes.
The 21-year-old and his friends were out fishing at 1am on 19 February when his quad bike hit wash out from recent rains and rolled 10 metres.
His friends were able to give him CPR and transport him to the Weipa hospital nearly two hours away on the back on their quads, where he was immediately transported by the RFDS to Townsville hospital.
Axel’s youngest sister Jazmin Polmear and his parents rushed to be by his side and have remained with him in Townsville since as he undergoes life saving procedures.
“I was in disbelief when I received the call as I had just flown (back to Cairns to attend university),” she said.
“As days went on, the doctors discovered more and more breaks and bleeds within Axel’s body, the most severe being his broken/severed spine, bruising and bleeding in his brain and his near completely torn off ear on top of his punctured lung, broken ribs and shoulder and fluid on his lungs.
“On the 22 February, Axel had spinal surgery using new technology and a surgeon flown up from Brisbane. To our excitement the surgery was a success, and we were delivered the amazing news that he will be able to walk again. Of course, he will never be as mobile, but we are all so over the moon.
“All the doctors, nurses and surgeons have expressed how amazed they are with how rapidly Axel is recovering and they believe he will make a full recovery after enduring a very drawn-out rehabilitation process. We hope to have him taking steps within the next few days.”
In light of the accident, the Polmear family have started a GoFundMe to help fund Axel’s recovery and so they can remain by his side.
Jazmin said her parents “very rarely asked for help”, but her and her older sister had stepped up to assist.
“Our family is very close knit so my parents would want nothing more than to be by his side during this rehabilitation process but during these times funds can be very slim and they just do not have the means to stay with him so long without any money coming in,” she said.
“Anyone who knows our family knows how stubborn both mum and dad are when it comes to accepting help and handouts.”
The family are now stressing to particularly young people to be safe when riding quad bikes and to ensure all safety gear is worn at all times.
“You’re not six-foot and bulletproof, Axel has been riding quads since he was in nappies so an accident like this can happen to anyone,” Jazmin said.
To donate to Axel’s GoFundMe, visit https://gofund.me/6f2ff4a3
