Eighteen-year-old Leo Elliott, from Mastin Moor, Chesterfield, is on the road to recovery after surviving a catastrophic car crash earlier this year, thanks to the rapid intervention of The Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance (DLRAA).
On 26 March 2025, Leo was driving alone near his home when he lost control of his car and collided head-on with a tree. He sustained life-threatening injuries, including multiple bleeds on the brain, nerve damage to his shoulder, and severe trauma to his ear.
The Air Ambulance crew arrived at the scene, quickly placing Leo into an induced coma at the roadside. A decision that his family believe saved his life.
Leo spent two weeks in a coma, undergoing specialist neurological treatment across three different hospitals. When he finally woke up at Chesterfield Royal Hospital, he was unable to speak or move and had to begin the long road to recovery.
By July, Leo was able to return home, supported by his parents, his brother, his girlfriend, and his beloved dog Wyn.
Despite the challenges, his family say Leo’s trademark sense of humour has returned. “Leo’s always been the prankster. To see him back to winding Mum up and playing tricks shows us he’s still himself underneath it all,” said his brother, Sam.
In a show of gratitude, Sam and his friends took on the Three Peaks Challenge, scaling Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike, and Snowdon in just 24 hours, raising more than £2,000 for the services that saved Leo’s life.
Sam said: “The Air Ambulance Service saved his life. Without them protecting his brain when they did, he simply wouldn’t be here.”
The Air Ambulance Service is a charity, relying entirely on donations to keep flying. Stories like Leo’s show the lifesaving difference they make every day.
To further support its lifesaving work, the charity will open a brand-new retail and distribution ‘Hub’ in Chesterfield on Friday 26th September. This second location, following the recent launch of a charity store in the town, will give the community another way to support their vital missions.
For more information, visit: www.theairambulanceservice.org.uk
