Sarina man Cory Atherton shares recovery story after serious beach crash
A young man who nearly died after his dirt bike hit a sandbar at speed has shared his recovery story and offered a warning about bike safety. Confronting images
A young Sarina man who nearly died after hitting a sandbar while riding his dirt bike at speed on a secluded beach has shared the story of his amazing recovery and offered a warning about bike safety.
Cory Atherton had been zipping along at Cape Palmerston at about 117kmh when the shocking incident occurred about midday on March 6, 2021 resulting in multiple traumatic injuries including a brain bleed, collapsed lung and kidney lacerations.
“There was an oh f--k feeling when I hit and everything after that was black,” he said.
Then 19, his head slammed into the handlebars before he was flung from the bike, his helmet ripped off in the crash.
The apprentice diesel fitter had been on a return trek of a beach ride with his brothers, who were riding ahead, and two mates and his dad, who were behind him.
Luckily one of those mates was a paramedic, who immediately rendered assistance before Queensland Ambulance Service or the CQ Rescue chopper arrived.
“It was definitely the reason I’m still living. I’ve thanked him every day,” Mr Atherton said.
“To my knowledge I hit a wash out, from there my head has hit the handlebars and I’ve knocked myself out.
“My helmet has come off … I was flung along the sand and then come to a stop.”
Mr Atherton said he was told he had been conscious at some point but did not remember it.
He said he had tried to stand up and began “coughing up blood”.
It was low tide when the rescue chopper landed at the site about 88km south of Mackay.
A doctor and critical care paramedic stabilised Mr Atherton, who had suffered life threatening injuries, before he was flown to Mackay Base Hospital.
“I slightly remember getting my clothes cut off … while the chopper was there,” he said.
He spent just under a week in ICU and a total of two weeks in hospital.
His injuries were severe – he suffered a brain bleed, collapsed lungs, fractures to his neck, back and pelvis, kidney laceration, a bleeding bowel and a smashed femur in three places.
He needed three surgeries and spent three months on crutches as his body healed.
Now 14 months later Mr Atherton said he was physically almost back to 100 per cent, but his perspective about bikes had changed.
On that day Mr Atherton said he had been travelling at 117kmh when the crash occurred – this was his first major incident in the eight years he had been riding.
“While I was in hospital I told the old man to sell the bike,” Mr Atherton said.
“I’m fully against it now.
“I said to my brothers it’s just not worth it.
“When something happens it’s usually worse than what it’s worth.”
His message to other riders, especially in the wake of multiple bike related serious crashes across Mackay district in 2022, was “just take it slow”.
“And don’t overdo things. That’s what my mistake was, I overdid it,” he said.
“I got cocky (and) went too close to the water. Just take it slow and just think it through.”
Now 20, he had gotten back on a bike only once since his recovery “just to conquer that fear” – he said it was just to take his bins out to the road and gave him “flashbacks” of the crash.
