Station worker Brodie Riley, 20, in coma at Townsville hospital after horrific outback crash

The family of a young cattle station worker say he’s lucky to be alive after being flung from a car during a horrific crash that left him with shocking injuries in Townsville.

The family of a young cattle station worker say he’s lucky to be alive after being flung from a car during a horrific outback crash that left him in a coma, riddled with injuries.

Brodie Riley, 20, was heading back to the cattle station he worked at in Moranbah, 200km southwest of Mackay, when tragedy struck on Sunday, August 14.

The vehicle he was travelling in with two others hit a patch of gravel, causing the driver to lose control on Pasha Rd.

The car rolled several times, and Brodie was flung from the wreck and found 50m away.

Mum Cassie Riley said her son would have died at the scene if it hadn’t been for the passing motorists who stopped to help and call the ambulance.

“He’s very lucky to be alive,” she said.

Brodie Riley, 20, remains in a coma at Townsville hospital after a horrific outback crash in Moranbah on Sunday, August 14.

“If those three girls weren’t driving along that same outback road, I probably wouldn’t have my son here today because not many people travel on it.”

The 20-year-old was flown from Moranbah to Townsville University Hospital in an induced coma and rushed into emergency surgery.

Ms Riley said her son had been left riddled with injuries after the crash, but doctors were most concerned about his brain injury, which they won’t know the full extent of until he wakes up from the coma.

She said Brodie suffered bleeding and swelling to his brain, and they are still fighting hard to reduce the swelling.

Brodie Riley, 20, remains in a coma at Townsville hospital after a horrific outback crash in Moranbah on Sunday, August 14.

He also has a broken pelvis that will keep him bedridden for at least six weeks, along with fractured ribs, a fractured ankle, and both of his lungs collapsed.

“I was absolutely distraught when I got the call,” Ms Riley said.

“When I first saw him in hospital, I’ve got no words to describe the feeling. It was absolutely horrible.”

Ms Riley said while her son definitely has a “very long road ahead of him” when it comes to recovery, she knows he’ll likely want to return to his cattle station job as soon as he can.

“Brodie’s been there for about five months now, and he absolutely loves it out there,” she said.

“He’s just a very down-to-earth young fella, with loads of energy and loves his fishing.”

A GoFundMe appeal has been set up to help cover Brodie’s medical expenses and to keep his mum Cassie, who lives six hours away from Townsville, by his side while he’s in hospital.

You can help here: https://gofund.me/7223cd7c

Originally published as Station worker Brodie Riley, 20, in coma at Townsville hospital after horrific outback crash