Beloved Burpengary personal trainer’s road to recovery after shocking accident

The mother of beloved personal trainer Rhys Johnson has recalled the gut-wrenching phone call from a complete stranger who had come to the aid of her son after a horror motorbike crash north of Brisbane.

Rhys Johnson is lying in a hospital bed, battered, bruised, broken and very lucky to be alive after a horrific accident north of Brisbane.

The popular personal trainer was heading to footy training when he came off his motorbike at Petrie just before 6.30pm.

The accident was so severe that Youngs Crossing Road was closed until midnight on September 17.

The victim’s mother Linda Johnson, 51, remembers the moment her phone rang.

It was Rhys’ number and she answered without hesitation saying ‘hey mate, so you are alive?’.

The voice on the other end of the phone wasn’t her 23-year-old son.

Burpengary man Rhys Johnson is recovering after a horror motorbike crash.

“This guy has gone ‘oh I’m sorry I’m actually ring on behalf of Rhys’ and then I could hear all the noise around him.

“I said can you please tell me is he in his ute or on his bike. He said, ‘the bike’.

“He said, ‘he’s very broken but he will live and there’s no head injuries but he wants his mum, can you come’.”

Ms Johnson says she didn’t hit the panic button until she saw the amount of traffic stopped near the accident site.

“When I drove onto Youngs Crossing Road and the traffic was stopped and it was like I need to get to my son,” she said.

“I don't give a sh*t, I just need to get there.

“I pulled off the road, ripped the handbrake up and ran down the road.

“As soon as I got on the ground and said baby I'm here – he looked up at me and started crying and said ‘Mum, I’m so sorry.”

Burpengary man Rhys Johnson is recovering in hospital after an horrific crash on his motorbike at Petrie on September 17. Picture: Supplied

It is thought that Rhys may have run into trouble by not leaning the bike enough while navigating a corner.

“The guy coming towards him was right on the white line, he’s then tried to drop his bike and obviously not dropped it enough,” Ms Johnson said.

“He’s looked up and seen the other drivers face and he said ‘I’ll never forget the guy’s face mum’.

“He said he … thought mate you’ve got kids – you are not dying today, if anyone is going to be dying it’s going to be me’.

“He’s pulled his bike hard right … I think a car has clipped the back of his motorbike which pushed him into the traffic so he’s then hit the car behind him right on her passenger headline.

“If he had hit her head on he would not be here today.”

The former Morayfield State High School student broke his femur, with the bone protruding through his skin.

He has a compound fracture of his tibula and fibula, an open fracture on his left arm and two fractures in his pelvis.

He underwent six hours of surgery the day after the accident with titanium rods, bolts and screws inserted to bring the PT back together.

Remarkably, he’s already up and moving, his fighting spirit on show.

The mum of three boys says she truly believes someone was watching over her middle son.

“I kept saying to him somebody was with you, there’s no doubt in my mind,” she said.

“You should not be sitting here with just left side of your body broken.

“Somebody was definitely watching out, whether God gave you wings I don’t know, but I believe with all my heart someone was there.

“He said to me, when you left me my best friend came and stood right where you were.”

Rhys Johnson.

She said since the accident she has been inundated with stories of how her son has helped others, as well as support, even from complete strangers.

“I just cannot believe it … for the last five days I’ve woken up and had messages on social media and on my phone,” she said.

Rhys has used his time in hospital so far to make inspirational videos discussing mental health and his challenges.

He’s also gotten to know other patients, including a girl brought in on the same day as him who was badly burnt.

Knowing she was missing her family and friends, Mr Johnson has been taking the time to message her and try to keep her mind off it.

The road to recovery for Rhys will be an extremely long and complicated one, expected to take anywhere from three to six months.

Rhys Johnson is a personal trainer at WorldGym Burpengary. Picture: Supplied

“As you can imagine, this will be an awfully painful process, with plenty of dark days to come,” his mum said.

“As a self-employed member of World Gym Burpengary, Rhys will be unable to create an income during this lengthy process back to recovery and back on his feet once more.

“Unfortunately, his finances are a huge concern at this time and any donation or financial help offered will be greatly appreciated and welcomed.

“Asking for help is not willingly something Rhys will do, therefore as his family and close friends we owe him the kindness to do so for him.”

So far, 70 donors have contributed more than $7000 to fundraising efforts for Rhys.

The outpouring of support, a testament to how many lives he has touched.

The Burpengary man’s family have been left in awe of the support they too have received.

To help support Rhys on his journey, you can visit this link.