Former Northamptonshire air ambulance patient funds two vital missions

Simon Glover began fundraising for the lifesaving Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA) in 2013 after it flew to his aid when he cut his throat with an angle grinder whilst doing DIY at his Northampton home.

The WNAA critical care crew treated him at the scene, and he was airlifted to hospital for emergency surgery.

Within just 22 minutes Simon was receiving the lifesaving care he urgently needed at University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire – over 40 minutes away by road.

Simon (54) says: “The saw blade cut was only two millimetres away from my main artery and I was bleeding heavily. If the local air ambulance hadn’t been there, I would probably have died.

“It really is the difference between life and death and I and countless other former patients are walking, breathing proof of this.”

Simon was using a diamond-tipped angle grinder to cut away bricks to make a window aperture bigger when his accident happened. As he worked his way up from the windowsill, the blade got wedged in the brick, spun out of Simon’s hand and caught his face, neck, arm and chest as it fell onto the floor.

His injuries included cuts to his windpipe, ligaments, and muscles in his neck, and he underwent surgery to reconstruct his windpipe and staple and stitch the deep cuts he had suffered.

He was put into an induced coma for five days and miraculously was discharged from hospital a week after the accident happened.

After two weeks’ rest, he went back to work and has since been fundraising for the lifesaving service.

Simon began his fundraising with a triathlon, and this August he hosted his second BBQ where he charged an entry fee which included food and drinks. He also had a ‘casino’ there, which had roulette and blackjack that people could pay to play – raising £1,162.42.

Since his incident, Simon and his family have raised a staggering £4,964.92 – enough to fund two potentially lifesaving missions.

He says:

“It saved my life and many other people’s lives, and without the fundraising events raising the vital monies needed to keep it operational, I wouldn’t be alive today.

“Since they saved my life, I have celebrated my 50th birthday, my 30th wedding anniversary and welcomed another six wonderful grandchildren into my world. Whenever I see the local air ambulance fly over, I always wave and thank the people that donate to keep them flying – because without them I would not have got to the hospital alive.”

Simon explains that he will continue to fundraise for the local air ambulance, and he urges other people to do the same if they can.

“The charity receives no government or NHS funding and relies on generous public donations to raise the £1,700 needed for each vital mission,” says WNAA Community Fundraising Executive, Laura Sage.

“Simon is truly an inspiration, and the charity is very grateful for all of his support and for the incredible amount he has raised,” adds Laura.

The Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance crew will continue to work around the clock over the festive period – including Christmas Day – and urges the public to support the charity through one of the many great fundraising events being held, including a Virtual Santa Fun Run.