Coast apprentice Alex Lees becomes face of Gold Coast Hospital Foundation tax appeal

This Gold Coast apprentice mechanic suffered a broken skull, brain injury, fractured pelvis, collapsed lung and lost the use of his right arm in a motorcycle accident. Now he’s giving back.

A GOLD Coast apprentice mechanic has overcome life-threatening injuries and depression after a motorbike accident to campaign for others like him.

Alex Lees, 22, was riding home on his bike in 2015 when he lost control and went off a cliff.

He suffered a broken skull, brain injury, fractured pelvis, collapsed lung, partially torn aorta, bleeding into the abdomen, a broken leg, dislocated knee and massive bruising to the lungs and heart.

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Alex was in a coma for almost two weeks. Photo: Supplied

The damage to his right arm was so serve the nerve was torn from the spinal cord, leaving his arm paralysed for life.

“I spent 13 days in a coma and around eight months in hospital following that — 18 injuries, 12 surgeries,” he said.

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“There was a lot of shock. I didn’t understand what was going on, because the day before at my nan’s birthday in Coffs Harbour we’d hired a car.

“I thought mum had crashed the hire car on the way back and I was the only one who got injured or something. I don’t recall three weeks up to the accident.”

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He’s now returned to work as an apprentice mechanic. Photograph: Jason O'Brien

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Since his recovery Mr Lees has joined the call to raise money for mental health research through the Gold Coast Hospital Foundation, having struggled with depression following his accident.

“I didn’t get help until after I left hospital because I thought I was fine,” he said.
“I also felt like I had to pretend I was fine because I had mum there every day. She was upset so I couldn’t just sit there and be upset because it makes it worse.

“I started having bouts of anger and sadness. I saw a psychologist and he said my anger wasn’t all that crash hot.”

The foundation is raising money for its Tax Appeal, with two projects seeking to decrease the impact of PTSD and depression for traumatically injured patients. Mr Lees has been named as the campaign’s face.

“I’d done some work for them before but I thought they’d think ‘Alex is a good candidate but he’s a bit of a smart-arse’, so I was surprised,” he said.

“People are always looking for ways to give back, donate and help, and this is a way to do it.”