Warrick Bidwell miraculously recovering after cardiac arrest while mountain bike riding

Doctors gave popular mountain bike rider Warrick “Waz” Bidwell little chance of surviving after a sudden cardiac arrest while competing but he has amazed everyone with his tenacity. Read about his recovery.

Warrick Bidwell with wife Amie Bidwell after Warrick returned home from time in hospital with injuries from a serious mountain bike incident. Picture: supplied by the family

After a medical incident while mountain bike riding left him in a coma with just a three per cent chance of survival, Warrick “Waz” Bidwell longs for the day he can hold his young son again.

Mr Bidwell, 51, was discharged from hospital just before Christmas and faces years of rehabilitation and possibly some permanent damage to his body.

Warrick Bidwell in ICU in the Royal Hobart Hospital with injuries from a serious mountain bike incident. Picture: supplied by the family

“It’s hard, lots of people think that once you go home, you’re fine and everything is back to normal,” Mr Bidwell said.

“But the reality is very different, I have to relearn literally everything again, walking, sitting and standing, talking, eating, dressing myself, showering myself.

“I can’t hold my son yet, I can’t play with him. I cannot drive.

“It is the hardest thing I have ever done, I just try and focus on getting a little bit stronger every day.”

Mr Bidwell was competing at Maydena last month when he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. This was followed my multiple complications including major abdominal surgery, sepsis, pneumonia, multiple blood transfusions and multiple strokes.

Warrick Bidwell after he returned home from time in hospital with injuries from a serious mountain bike incident. Picture: supplied by the family

Amie Bidwell says her husband’s discharge from hospital was helped by a GoFundMe contributing to specific equipment and access to costly rehabilitation services.

“As a family we are deeply grateful to everyone for their support, it has already changed our family’s life and allowed Warrick to be home sooner and rehabilitating better than anyone expected,” she said.

“Without the GoFundMe, Warrick would have remained in hospital for much longer as we would not have been able to fund the private rehabilitation.

“The donations have also been critical in funding specialised medical equipment for ongoing monitoring that are simply not available through the public health system.

“With the public health system bursting at the seams, the wait time can be longer than private, and the frequency of available appointments can be less than the frequency Warrick needs for the best rehab outcome.”

Mrs Bidwell said Warrick’s rehabilitation was comprehensive and included, musculoskeletal, neurological, cognitive, and vision components.

“At the time of discharge he came home needing a walker, and a wheelchair. However, he is doing his therapy program every day and practicing with every task and he no longer needs the walker.

“He is one of the most determined people you will ever meet.”

Warrick Bidwell on his mountain bike before having a serious mountain bike incident. Picture: supplied by the family

Warrick "Waz" Bidwell and his son Jack on a bushwalk in the Great Western Tiers a week before he was taken to hospital after an incident while riding at Maydena. Picture: Amie Bidwell.

Mr Bidwell’s rehabilitation involves daily physical therapy through all activities of daily living including showering, toileting, dressing, eating and includes physiotherapy and exercise physiology.

“Warrick lost 15 per cent of his body weight as a result of his extended coma (10 days) and as such the 8 kgs muscle that he has lost from his whole body - even from his throat, mouth, and eyes - means he is extremely weak and fatigues extremely quickly.

“He is working diligently to rebuild his muscle mass which is critical for a good rehabilitation outcome.

“Many of the team that saved his life didn’t actually expect him to live, let alone to come out of the coma, so when they discharged him on December 19, doctors could barely believe it.

“Warrick has continued to impress his treating team, and whilst no one can give a clear prognosis, we have been told he will have years of rehabilitation ahead of him and that there may be some permanent damage or changes to his function.

“He is a very active man who loves anything in the outdoors, so we aspire for him to be able to return to the things he loves doing with his family, after all, our son Jack is only 15 months old.”

To donate to the GoFundMe go to: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-warrick-bidwells-rehabilitation

Originally published as Warrick Bidwell miraculously recovering after cardiac arrest while mountain bike riding