‘Pray for my son’: Young chopper victim braced for amputation

“Brave but nervous” young Sea World chopper crash victim Nicholas Tadros will have part of his leg amputated within days.

Brave Sea World helicopter crash survivor Nicholas Tadros is set to lose his leg within days as he continues to fight back from the aviation disaster.

Nicholas has been in hospital since the horrific mid-air collision on the Gold Coast on January 2, which claimed the life of his mother Vanessa along with pilot Ash Jenkinson and UK tourists Ron and Diane Hughes.

Nicholas’ father Simon Tadros this week revealed doctors had been unable to save the brave Sydney boy’s right foot, and on Saturday he told The Courier-Mail the 10-year-old was scheduled to go under the knife on Monday to have his right leg amputated just below the knee.

“Nicholas is being brave but is scared and nervous,” he said.

“I just ask everyone to pray for my son and that all goes well.”

Nicholas Tadros with mother Vanessa before their ill-fated flight

Simon Tadros (left) has been by his son Nicholas’ side since the crash where his wife Vanessa died.

Mr Tadros has previously told of Nicholas’ struggles in his recovery, with the youngster also suffering multiple broken bones, collapsed lungs and kidney damage.

“He broke nearly everything from top to bottom, you know, his arms, his legs, his sternum, his hips, his thighs, his legs, his arms, ribs, lungs collapsing,” Mr Tadros told A Current Affair.

“How he survived is a miracle.”

Mr Tadros went on to describe the last time he spoke to his wife.

“I gave them both a hug and a kiss and said enjoy it, go have fun. I told them ‘I’ll see you when you get back down’,” he told ACA.

He also described ‘Nicky’ as a “strong-willed boy” and a fighter.

“I’ve lost count of how many surgeries he’s had. It’s a daily struggle for him, the least I can do is be there for my son and fight the fight with him.”

The other two survivors of the doomed helicopter, Winnie de Silva and her nine-year-old son Leon, continue to recover.

Mrs de Silva has been released from hospital while her son was transferred from Gold Coast University Hospital to the Queensland Children’s Hospital in the days after the accident and is continuing his recovery.

How their joy flight chopper came into contact with another Sea World Helicopters aircraft remains the subject of an intensive investigation involving police, the Queensland coroner and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

Miraculously, all five occupants of the other helicopter walked away from the tragedy, requiring treatment for relatively minor injuries.

A preliminary report from the ATSB into the accident is due to be released imminently.

Sea World Helicopters remains closed until further notice.