‘Just appalling’: Hero truckie saves the day after access taxi fails to arrive to transport 11yo to crucial medical procedure

A Queensland mother says her 11-year-old son almost missed a crucial medical appointment in Adelaide after the wheelchair access taxi she pre-booked the night before failed to arrive.

A truck driver has come to the rescue of a distressed Queensland mother after her son almost missed a crucial medical procedure in Adelaide, when a pre-booked wheelchair access taxi failed to arrive.

Toowoomba woman, Jodie Sandy was in Adelaide for her 11-year-old son, Oliver, who was booked for a medical procedure at The Memorial Hospital early on Monday morning.

Speaking to ABC Radio while still out front of her hotel waiting, she said she had pre-booked a wheelchair access taxi on Sunday night for a 7.15am pick-up, so her son could arrive for his 7.30am admission.

However, hours after the arranged pick-up time had gone by, Ms Sandy was still standing at the front of her hotel in the city, and said at least three separate taxi providers had been contacted, all who told her no one was available.

A good Samaritan truck driver has rushed a mother and her disabled son to hospital in North Adelaide after their access taxi driver failed to show. Picture: 7NEWS

“I’m staying in town at the Mantra, Hindmarsh Square (and) I booked a wheelchair access disability taxi last night to get us to the hospital for our admission at 7.30 this morning, it was booked for quarter to seven,” she told ABC Radio.

“I’m still out the front, I have called the three cab companies the Mantra has called twice and booked, and now I have five messages saying they cannot find a driver to come and pick up.

“This is just appalling.”

Ms Sandy said the cost of the procedure was “nothing short of $25,000 – $35,000”, and that it was her “last crack” for Oliver who has been “medically unwell” since birth.

While on the phone to ABC Radio, and unsure if she would make the procedure, Ms Sandy was picked up by a man listening to her on the radio, and driving an ad truck for Adelaide businessman, Lance Vater.

The young boy had flown to SA for specialist medical care but almost missed his appointment. Picture: 7NEWS

Ms Sandy can be heard waving a vehicle down, before offering the driver $100 to take her and Oliver to the hospital.

“Hello, can you get me to the hospital? Can you sit that in the back of your truck,”, she asked the driver”

“Pull on in, I’ll give you $100.”

She told the ABC hosts that the “lovely truck driver” had agreed to take her and Oliver to the hospital.

Speaking to 7News Adelaide after the ordeal, the driver, Dee Chhoy said he did what he expected other people would.

The truck driver, Dee Chhoy, said he did what he expected other people would. Picture: 7NEWS

“She was just grateful, she was shocked that I stopped but, I’m sure there’s a lot of other people out there that would’ve stopped if they saw it,” he said.

“But like I said, ‘right place, right time’.”

Ms Sandy said Mr Chhoy pulled over and threw everything in the back of the truck and whisked them to the hospital, and that more needed to be done to ensure taxi services are available for disabled people.

“He pulled over, he threw our luggage, many, many bags, many suitcases, big disability pram in the back of the truck,” she said.

“We’ve got the best of everything here in Australia, fix that problem, because that's a big necessity.

“A lot of disabled people from children to adults. It needs to be fixed.”

Originally published as ‘Just appalling’: Hero truckie saves the day after access taxi fails to arrive to transport 11yo to crucial medical procedure