Adam and Amanda Symons: Wife of Ganmain farmer who had his arm torn off has thanked the community for their support
Amanda Symons has thanked the Riverina community for rallyign around her family after husband Adam had his arm torn off in an horrific workplace accident on a farm.
Hyperlocal
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Born and bred in Ganmain, Adam ‘Moosa’ Symons was working as a contractor at a Marrar farm on Thursday October 15th, when his arm became tangled in a round baler and was torn off from the elbow down.
Remarkably, Mr Symons managed to drive himself 500 metres down the road to get help.
He was flown to Canberra Hospital and underwent a 9 hour surgery, where doctors managed to reattach his arm after farm workers “fished” it from the machinery.
Although Mr Symons is showing some early positive signs of regaining movement in his arm, his best friend Nathan McPherson understands his recovery will be long and expensive and decided to set up a GoFundMe page to help relieve the financial burden on his young family.
“My wife and I started the page on Sunday afternoon and before we went to bed it already had $8000,” Mr McPherson said.
“We woke up the next morning and all of a sudden, the fund just started exploding and it‘s still going.
“We shared it to our friends on Facebook but it’s gone beyond the people that we know and who Adam knows,” he said.
Mr Symons’s wife Amanda said it was a miracle her husband was alive.
“I have been overwhelmed by the love and support we have received since the accident,” Mrs Symons said.
“The girls and I went for a walk yesterday evening and found five of Adam’s incredible mates in our paddocks checking if our hay was ready to go.
“It takes a lot of pressure off knowing we don’t have to worry about harvesting for now and we can focus on getting him where he needs to be.
“He’s tough and we will hold onto hope and take one day at a time,” she said.
The fund has already exceeded its $30,000 goal, with the fund at the time of this article being published sitting at more than $36,000.
“The fund was set up to pay for Adam’s medical bills and he will have to have a number of surgeries and not only months of rehab but years,” Mr McPherson said.
“His wife Amanda and his young daughters Stevie and Frankie, they are only four and six years of age, and they will have to stay in Canberra for quite some time, so hopefully this can also help fund some of their accommodation and food.
Mr McPherson thanked the community for its support and welcomed any donations.
“It’s a testament to our community and it just once again shows that when things get tough and when tragedies like this happen, the community pulls together to help each other,” Mr McPherson said.
“Adam is a community man himself and has been involved with the Ganmain Grong Grong Matong Lions Football Club for many years.
“Being able to drive and get help when your arm is torn off just shows the tough character Adam is and the fight he has for himself and his family,” he said.
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