Boxing champ revealed as horror crash survivor
The champion boxer involved in a horrific car crash that claimed four young lives in the Gold Coast hinterland on Saturday is still in disbelief that he survived. But the tragedy has given him new perspective on life – and there’s one thing spurring him on.
QLD News
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A CHAMPION boxer who walked away from a horror car crash that killed four people on the weekend returned to training two days later in the hope of fighting on the Jeff Horn vs Tim Tszyu undercard.
Queenslander Will Parsons was scheduled to fight Olympian Cameron Hammond in one of the main support bouts to the Horn-Tszyu mega-fight on August 26 in Townsville, but today is lucky to be alive.
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Parsons, 31, was driving home from work as an electrician in Advancetown on the Gold Coast Hinterland last Saturday when a Mazda 3 travelling in the opposite direction lost control and swerved onto the wrong side of the road, hitting his ute.
All four people in the Mazda 3 – Kirsten Van Gorp (known as Elliott to friends), Courtney Smith, 20, Lochlan Parker, 20, and Katrina McKeough, 21, died at the scene.
Incredibly, Parsons escaped with neck and hip injuries caused by his seatbelt, and shock.
There is no suggestion Parsons was at fault in the accident, as police believe the driver of the other vehicle lost control in the wet weather.
Not wanting to wallow at home in the wake of the tragedy, Parsons returned to the gym on Monday evening and may fashion one of the most incredible journeys to feature in the event at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in one month.
“I’m not ruling it out yet,” Parsons said.
“I’m still trying to get my body a bit better at the moment, and mentally as well, my hips are still sore so I don’t know what’s going to happen, I’m still trying to figure it out.
“I’ll go see my chiro, other than that I’ll talk to my trainer, he’s pretty good, I think he’d make the call before I’d make the call.
“I didn’t want to just sit at home, so I went training last night, gave it a bit of a crack.
“We actually sparred last night, it wasn’t too bad but I pulled up sore this morning so I’ll know a bit more today I reckon.
“I’ll have to run it by my trainer and see what he wants to do, he’s the one leading the show.
“I’ve come back to work now, there’s no point sitting at home.”
Parsons is still in disbelief that he survived such a violent crash.
After freeing himself from the wreckage, Parsons attempted to help those in the Mazda but soon realised the unimaginable toll of the accident, and his thoughts are now firmly with the loved ones of the four young victims.
“It’s just terrible for their families, I don’t know what they’re going through,” Parsons said.
“I just luckily came out unscathed.
“My car copped everything, I remember everything.
“My door had broken up enough for me to get out, I pulled myself out, my hips were injured so I crouched down for a bit.
“I was down on my haunches for a bit because of the pain on my hips and back from the seatbelt and the airbag.
“I could see from where I was that it was bad, there was another guy there and I said to him ‘Has anyone checked the car?’ No one had checked the car.
“I went over and tried to check them all out, the driver was the only one who was semi-conscious.
“I went over and tried to see what I could do but they needed to be cut free.
“I’m just guessing I was lucky and it wasn’t my time yet.
“It definitely wasn’t their time either, but I suppose I was just really lucky.”
Parsons was taken to hospital suffering shock and minor injuries to his neck and hips but has since been released.
“I’m so lucky to still be here and they were super unlucky,” he said.
“I was going to stay back late at work but the boss didn’t need me to, so I just left and you think about ‘what if’, but it doesn’t do any good to think about it like that.
“I just feel so bad for all their families. Four young people losing their lives like that, it’s just terrible.
“It was miraculous that I walked away, but it’s still pretty upsetting.”
The incident has given Parsons new perspective on life and his boxing career.
Parsons won the Queensland State super-welterweight title in March, and has 11 wins from 15 professional bouts (11-4, 2KO).
“I don’t think I was taking at as seriously as I could have when I was younger, I’m getting a bit older but feeling a lot better,” he said.
“I was thinking I was going to throw it in, but I’ve got more time in me so I’ll keep going.”