Kent Air Ambulance Week: September 5 - September 11

CARPENTER Mark Farley not only owes his life to the Kent Air Ambulance, but also to the people of Kent.

Mr Farley, who lives in Brighton, had been working in Canterbury when he was involved in a massive car crash on the M2 last October.

The 40-year-old had been a passenger in his colleague’s car when a lorry ploughed into five cars behind them.

He was lucky to escape with his life after suffering appalling injuries, including serious head and chest injuries, broken ribs, ruptured spleen, broken foot and facial lacerations.

Driver John Geest went through the side window and when the emergency services arrived Mr Farley had his feet through the windscreen and his body had been pushed into the foot well.

Paramedic Gary Balderston said Mr Farley was lucky to have survived the crash with such serious injuries.

"When we arrived, Mark was thrashing around where he had gone back to his primal instinct to free himself. He had terrible head injuries and a brain swelling, so we had to calm him down by talking to him and reassuring him that everything would be okay.

"He had some serious injuries and we knew we had to work quickly to save him; he’s lucky to be alive."

He was taken to Maidstone Hospital, where his spleen was removed, and stayed there until December.

Although he is still recovering from the accident, Mr Farley is now busy raising money to help launch the Sussex Air Ambulance.

"I would like to say 'thank you' to the people of Kent who have raised money for the Kent Air Ambulance, because they helped save my life.

"It’s vital people donate money to the service because you never know when you might need them."