St John NT paramedics share how they saved Harrison Grey’s life

Paramedics who arrived on the scene after an eight-year-old Darwin boy was hit by a car have revealed the stroke of luck that saved his life. Watch the emotional reunion.

When eight-year-old Harrison Grey was hit by a car after getting off the school bus in Bees Creek just weeks before Christmas last year, luck was far from anyone’s mind.

But it was a stroke of luck that two of the paramedics who responded to the call that fateful December day were trained in a procedure that ultimately meant the difference between life and death.

St John NT paramedics Toby Bugter and Dan Robertson are two of four intensive care paramedics currently trained in rapid sequence intubation in the Territory.

The third is a casually employed paramedic in Darwin and the fourth a full-time paramedic in Alice Springs.

Intensive care paramedics Dan Robertson and Toby Bugter reunite with Darwin boy Harrison Grey after both performing lifesaving treatment in December last year. Picture: Floss Adams

Being trained in the life saving procedure means they were able to reduce the impact of Harrison’s head injury by placing him in an induced coma under general anaesthetic on the way to hospital.

Mr Roberston said it was “purely luck of the draw” that both paramedics were trained in the procedure.

”Essentially it’s where we put this critically ill injured patient under general anaesthetic and

we do that to try and prevent any further injury to the brain and in Harrison’s case try to give him the very best outcome we possibly can,” he said.

“And it just so happens that day that Toby and I were both working and we were able to offer that new skill to Harrison.”

Darwin boy and survivor Harrison Grey with his journey book he created with his specialist. Picture: Floss Adams

Harrison’s case was the first example of a child receiving the treatment but RSI has since been used on about 20 similar incidents across the Top End.

“We encounter a significant number of road accidents like that but also when people have significant falls from heights up to 10m we’ve treated patients this year with the same treatment package,” Mr Roberston said.

“(Harrison) was our first paediatric rapid sequence intubation by St John,” Mr Bugter said.

Paramedic Luke Baker, mother Paula Apostoles, Toby Bugter, Jeff Bates, and (front) Dan Robertson, survivor Harrison Grey and Ella McCue all reunite after the horrific incident that almost killed Harrison. Picture: Floss Adams.

“It’s really the gold standard of care for particularly patients who have experienced traumatic brain injury pre hospital — it’s planned to be rolled out to all intensive care paramedics.”

The eight-year-old and his mother Paula Apostoles met with the paramedics who worked on him for more than an hour on the side of the road, following months in an Adelaide hopsital.

“I’m very happy that I got to come and see the people that saved his life.” Ms Apostoles said.

“It’s all I’ve wanted to do since we knew he was going to make it so I wanted to because without them we wouldn’t be here today.”

Originally published as St John NT paramedics share how they saved Harrison Grey’s life