John Glatz was badly burnt in the Cudlee Creek fires – but the ‘stubborn’ farmer is back from the dead
John Glatz was so badly burnt in the Cudlee Creek fires that he was brought back from the dead, twice. This week, he celebrated with the mates who saved his life.
Adelaide Hills
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Two years ago Adelaide Hills identity John Glatz was lying on a hospital bed fighting for his life.
His body had been so badly burned as he tried to protect his Woodside property from the Cudlee Creek bushfire that doctors twice had to bring him back to life.
But today, on the anniversary of one of the state’s worst bushfire events, the 78-year-old who survived his ordeal through what has been described as sheer stubbornness, is ready to take the keys to his new home.
To mark the occasion he reunited at the Woodside property with Adam Stone and police sergeant Joe McDonald, who Mr Glatz credits with saving his life.
“It’s good to see how well he’s doing,” Mr Stone said.
“But it doesn’t hurt that he is the most stubborn man that has ever lived.
“In fact, he’s probably as stubborn as 10 men combined. Most other people would have died.”
Mr Stone was first to arrive at Mr Glatz’s Murdoch Hill Rd home on December 20, 2019 when asked by a mutual friend to check on the retiree.
When he arrived, he found the former Oakbank Racing Club chairman passed out on his tractor, which was consumed by flames.
Mr Stone pulled Mr Glatz off the tractor before dousing him in water.
About 20 minutes later, Sgt McDonald, ignoring his own safety, drove a standard police vehicle through the bushfire-ravaged area to provide aid to Mr Glatz, before taking him to Mount Barker Hospital.
Mr Glatz sustained 60 per cent burns to his body and would later spent months in intensive care.
Unfortunately his friend and Charleston local Ron Selth did not survive the fires.
“I don’t think there’s anything we could have done better,” Sgt McDonald said.
“Everyone on the day did as good of a job as they could do.”
Two years on, Mr Glatz is not only back on a new tractor but he’s also registered to be a mentor for other burns victims at the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
He also continues on as a life members at Oakbank Racing Club after retiring as a committee member of 36 years – 20 of which he served as chairman, in April this year.
“I’m doing well … I mean, people keep joking that I look like a well weathered farmer because of my tightened skin but it’s just all a bit of fun and doesn’t worry me – otherwise I’d wear a sock over it,” he said.
“I’ve even had some young people look at my arms saying ‘wow, how can I get something like that on my arm (referring to the scalelike looking skin graft), because they don’t realise what it is.
“So life just goes on … and I guess I am a little stubborn.”
Christmas is also looking a little brighter this year with Mr Glatz and wife Merri ready to move into their new custom-built home.
“Our daughter Lucy designed it and I like it … I just think it’s too big for two people,” he said.
“The old house was further down and I was going to rebuild there but my wife said no.
“She would have been quite happy to live in Woodside (township) but I need my space (and) room for my toys.”
Among his new neighbours are Simon Haigh.
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