‘I’ve got her back’: Track rider’s near fatal fall and the quick-thinking staff who saved her life
A track rider who suffered critical injuries after a freak fall at Warrnambool racecourse had to be given life-saving CPR on the track before being taken to hospital, her family has revealed.
Kendall Dickinson’s family, who have flown out from England to be by her side, said the 24-year-old was “brought back to life” by Warrnambool track manager Paul Richards after she was crushed by a horse she had been riding during track work.
Track rider Kendall Dickinson continues to recover in The Alfred after a horrific fall during track work at Warrnambool.Credit: Facebook/jodavisracing
Dickinson then underwent a series of life-saving surgeries at Warrnambool Base Hospital and The Alfred, her family said, claiming she had incredibly “survived the unsurvivable”.
“She was not breathing herself, couldn’t talk and was very, very tired,” the family said in a statement sent to this masthead.
“[By midweek], we managed to get a full sentence out of her as she is now off the breathing apparatus.”
Dickinson, who moved to Australia 11 weeks ago on a working trip of a lifetime, was riding a young horse for the Tom Dabernig stable about 6.45am on July 19, alongside two colleagues, when her mount stumbled, rotated forward and flipped on top her. The force of the impact caused a series of critical injuries.
Trainer Tom Dabernig (right) pictured with trainers Ben Hayes (L) and David Hayes (centre).Credit: Getty Images
Her mother, Fiona Foster, and two brothers, Shaw Dickinson and Harrison Foster, left Banbury in Oxfordshire County, England, at midnight last Saturday after hearing of her horrific fall and arrived at her bedside at The Alfred 29 hours later, not knowing whether she had survived until they landed.
“Kendall has died once, survived catastrophic internal bleeding and liver damage, the loss of a kidney, a broken clavicle, a broken scapula and seven cracked spine processes (part of the vertebrae),” the family said.
“She’s had CT scans, X-rays, three open abdomen surgeries to save her life and one round of CPR to bring her back by Paul Richards at the racetrack.
“We can confirm that she has now been released from the intensive care unit and will now remain on the ward. This journey is truly a testament to her indomitable fighting spirit and strength.”
The English track rider is expected to be in hospital for another six weeks.
Dickinson’s family described Warrnambool Racing Club track supervisor Richards as “the greatest bloke on earth” for giving her CPR.
When contacted by this masthead Richards said, “I am just glad she’s alive”.
He said he had been told on the morning of the fall via two-way radio that there was a rider down and as soon as he saw Dickinson laying under a rail, he knew she was critical. He immediately asked colleague Judith Glennen to call an ambulance.
“When I got up to her, she was laying on the one spot, twitching, and I knew straight away, because I have done a lot of road trauma over the years with the State Emergency Service, that she was in a bad, bad way,” Richards said.
“I sort of slapped her face and said, ‘Kendall, Kendall’, her eyes opened up and then bang, I had nothing.”
Richards, who had worked as a Racing Victoria barrier attendant for 30 years, said he removed her jacket and her safety vest and started CPR.
“I had [detected] a very, very weak pulse, and then she completely stopped breathing,” he said, revealing that Dickinson had lost colour in her face and her lips turned a purple-blue.
“So I got to work on her and I just heard a little gasp. I got up, and I had to roll her over very slowly on her side. I didn’t want to, but I knew I had to lay her in the recovery position.”
Richards was then able to clear Dickinson’s airways.
“Then she was back, breathing very, very weakly, and I thought, ‘I’ve got her, she’s back’,” he said.
Richards stayed with Dickinson until the intensive care ambulance arrived and then grabbed an umbrella to use as a wind break for the paramedics.
The track manager, who had been on holiday the week before, said the enormity of the situation sank in later.
“After she had gone to hospital, I sat back, and I did have a lump in my throat. The reality of what happened kicked in – I thought, ‘shit, I just saved that girl’s life’,” he said.
Richards said he met with Dickinson’s brother Shaw on Thursday and they shared a hug.
“She’s obviously a tough little cookie to go through what she’s gone through and be able to pull through,” Richards said.
In their statement, the Dickinson family thanked “Josh Cartwright and Lorelle (Crow) who were riding with Kendall (at the time of the incident) and were immediate to respond”.
“We would especially like to thank Warrnambool race club and Paul Richards, Dabernig Racing, employees and Cassi Dabernig, who has stopped at nothing to provide support for our family, including being at Kendall’s bedside until aunty Caroline arrived from New Zealand,” the family said.
“(And thank you) Warrnambool hospital who commenced surgery and preserved her life until she could reach Melbourne, every person at The Alfred hospital, surgeons and nurses, especially the ICU unit who have kept her alive.”
Dickinson grew up in Banbury, between London and Birmingham, but did not start riding until she was 12 because she was allergic to horses.
After beginning to ride in her teens, she forged a career in the industry – studying horse management, working at a stud farm and spending time as a groom. She had ridden in showjumping events as well as point-to-point jumps races.
Her former boss, UK-based trainer Jo Davis, started a GoFundMe Page to help Dickinson and her family, and it has already raised more than $44,000.
Dickinson’s family said people in the UK, Australia and at Racing Victoria had “been amazing in providing support”.
Dabernig Racing released a statement saying “Kendall’s safety and wellbeing are of the upmost importance to us, and we are deeply distressed by this incident”.
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