Gympie Hair Review’s owner speaks on husband’s life threatening accident

The owner of an award-winning Gympie salon says she is grateful beyond words for the help and support since husband’s Steven’s work accident left him with 38 broken bones and fighting for his life.

The owner of award-winning Gympie salon Hair Review says her husband Steven’s recovery from horrific injuries suffered in a 5m fall at work late last year is a “miracle”.

Carolann Verity has opened up on the extraordinary fight Steven, 62, put up after the fall from a roof in early November 2024 left him with dozens of broken bones and fighting for life.

Mr Verity broke eight back bones in the fall and 23 of his 24 ribs.

Three months later, Mrs Verity said her family nearly lost him three times in the aftermath of the accident which occured at a Gympie home he was painting.

“He was just doing the safety checks first thing in the morning and fell from the roof and trestles,” Mrs Verity said.

He landed on the lawn, breaking a total of 38 bones and suffering internal injuries.

The owner of award-winning Gympie salon Hair Review, Carolann Verity, says her husband Steven's recovery from horrific injuries suffered in a shocking 5m fall at work is a “miracle”.

“He broke about eight back bones, three near his spinal cord... he broke 23 of 24 ribs, all of the top ribs were broken twice... he had a complex broken pelvis, a broken scapula, and a broken collarbone and his ribs punctured his lungs,” Mrs Verity said.

Mr Verity was rushed to Gympie Hospital, and then flown to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital for further treatment.

Mrs Verity praised the paramedics and staff “who kept him alive until the air flight came”.

It was far from the end of his battle she said as “we nearly lost him on the flight”.

Mr Verity was placed in an induced coma, and spent just shy of 50 days in the hospital.

Mrs Verity stayed in nearby Wishlist accomodation for the duration of his fight.

He was finally discharged and returned home to Gympie, and his recovery has now progressed to the point he can walk around with some support.

Mrs Verity said her husband, who was the owner of the painting company started by his father, would never return to work.

The accident also “escalated” a change at the Mary St salon Carolann has owned for more than 30 years, with her daughter Jamie Jack now taking over management.

The accident also “escalated” a change at the Mary St salon she owned for more than 30 years, with her daughter Jamie Jack taking over management.

“She’s been more than ready and it was time (when the accident happened) for us to take a step back and start to enjoy our lives together a little bit more,” she said.

Mrs Verity had been at the helm of the salon since the early 1990s, when it was first located at Goldfields Plaza.

She oversaw its move to the Mary St premises it has now called home for decades, and under her watch it accumulated a staggering array of awards including twice winning De Lorenzo’s Salon of the Year, being voted Gympie’s favourite hair salon, and claiming Gympie Business of the Year.

Mrs Verity said Jamie, who started working at the salon when she was 16, was now its “guardian”.

“I never considered myself the boss, it was always the team at Hair Review, the Hair Review family,” she said.

Customers could continue to expect more of the same from the award-winning business, she said.

“We want to make sure that everyone knows that nothing will change.”

Mrs Verity herself would still make appearances there from time to time, especially as Mr Verity’s recovery progressed.

She was “so blessed” for the support she received from customers, staff, clients, the medical services, and her daughters Jamie and Maddison.

“Stephen and I just can’t thank them enough,” Mrs Verity said.

“He’s a big family man, and he just wants to see his grandchildren grow up,” Mrs Verity said.

Originally published as Gympie Hair Review’s owner speaks on husband’s life threatening accident