Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews: I thought I was dying

The Victorian Premier opens up for the first time in detail about ‘becoming airborne’ during a holiday house accident | WATCH

Daniel Andrews and wife Cath have taken to social media to detail the events that led to his fall in March. Picture: Facebook,

Daniel Andrews and his wife Cath say they both thought the Victorian Premier was going to die after he slipped and broke his back and ribs at a Mornington Peninsula holiday house in March.

In a video posted across his social media accounts ahead of his return to work on Monday, Mr Andrews has spoken in detail for the first time about his accident almost four months ago.

The video comes after opposition frontbencher Louise Staley was widely criticised for implying that police may have been involved in investigating the circumstances of the accident, amid defamatory conspiracy theories which have been circulating widely in the Victorian community.

Sitting side-by-side at home with his wife in the video, Mr Andrews says he, Cath and their three children had been enjoying time together as a family at a holiday house in Sorrento over the Labour Day weekend.

“It was a bit of a bit of a chance to have some time together and to make up for the fact that summer had been really busy and a holiday that had been planned hadn’t happened,” the Premier said.

He said that early on the morning of Tuesday March 9, he was making his way to the car to go to work.

“I’m not sure if it was raining at the time but it had been raining. As I put my foot onto the first step, I knew I was in trouble,” Mr Andrews said.

Before I come back to work tomorrow, I thought I would share what happened. In my own words. pic.twitter.com/RkJcvPTYyu

— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) June 27, 2021

“I didn’t really connect with a step. It just slid straight off. I became airborne almost, so I’m horizontal with the step and then all I could hear was just this almighty crunch, and that’s when I knew.

“When I heard the crunch. I thought that this is serious, we’re in trouble here.

“Cath must have sort of heard me groaning in pain. I couldn’t yell out, and she comes and finds me a few moments later.

“It felt like an eternity because I couldn’t breathe. I could only (make) the most shallow breaths in and out.”

Ms Andrews interjected: “It was awful because you were going blue, and we were looking at each other and I was thinking: ‘You’re going to die, here in Sorrento, at this holiday house,’ and you were looking at me and you felt the same.”

Mr Andrews said his wife had called an ambulance and his 24 hour personal protection detail, who were stationed down the street at the time.

“I can remember the ambos getting there, and they gave me one of those green whistles, but because I had broken ribs, they knew I had broken ribs, they said ‘don’t breathe on that too hard or it’ll make you cough,’ but it wasn’t till I got the line into my ... hand and gave me some pretty significant pain relief that things kind of settled.”

Mr Andrews said the paramedics had done a “fantastic job”.

“I’ve never experienced anything like this. I’ve never really been injured. I’ve never been admitted to hospital in all my life,” he said, praising his security detail, physiotherapists, doctors and nurses.

“As painful, as difficult, as traumatic as it was, we were very lucky.”

Making reference to the conspiracy theories which have circulated on social media regarding his accident, Mr Andrews said he and his family had seen some “vile stories being put around about what happened”.

“Politics isn’t always like that,” he said, making reference to a “touching” and “important” message he received from his Liberal predecessor Ted Baillieu the night after the accident occurred.

“He shared his experience, having injured his back 40 years ago, having not taken the time to recover properly and still today living with that injury, and he made it really clear to me and to us that we needed to take our time and heal properly.”

Mr Andrews thanked the thousands of well-wishers who had contacted him as he recovered, and in what appeared to be an unauthorised electoral advertisement, he signed off by pledging to stand for re-election at next year’s November poll.

“When you have a traumatic moment in your life, you kind of reassess things,” the Premier said.

“Family is important, but so too is delivering for every family, working hard for every single Victorian family.

“That’s the job I’ve got. I’m coming back this week. I’m fit, I’m strong, I’m healthy.

“I’m on the ballot next year, I’m running and I’m running to win. There’s unfinished business and I’m determined to get it done.

Melbourne radio host Neil Mitchell said that while he was pleased the Premier had recovered, a “promotional video” should not replace an interview.

“He has many questions to answer about future policy and I hope he does. Soon,” Mitchell tweeted.