Grateful father volunteers for air ambulance that saved his life last Valentine’s Day

Robin Jaques is thankful to the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity for saving his life.Picture: Robin Jaques (Image: Robin Jaques)

Robin Jaques, aged 54, was involved in a cycling accident at the Forest of Dean, which broke four of his ribs, punctured his lung and tore his liver and nearly caused him to 'bleed to death'.

If he had died, the person it would have had the biggest impact on was his 12-year-old daughter, Yaz, he said, adding that he was 'lucky' Great Western Air Ambulance came to his aid.

Robin said: "On February 14 last year, I was involved in a high-speed cycling crash, which broke four of my ribs and punctured my lung. The punctured lung created a build-up of pressure in my chest deflating my other lung, and I thought I was going to die because I couldn't breathe.

"I also had burst my femoral artery and I was losing blood fast, I was bleeding to death.

"I had to go for an emergency operation after I was rushed to hospital by helicopter, which was news to me as the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity's paramedics and doctors had kept me so calm at the scene.

"I was off work for seven to eight weeks and stayed in intensive care for a few days after the accident.

Robin said he wasn't aware the service was a charity until he was 'scraped off the floor' after the accident. He decided to give back to the organisation after its team saved his life, and he now speaks at public events for the service across North Somerset.

His business also gives money to Great Western Air Ambulance, which will give a cheque worth £1,000 on Valentine's Day to mark the anniversary of the accident.

Robin said: "I manage a team of up to 60 people, but the person it would have had the biggest impact on if I were to die is my family, especially my daughter. She went white as a ghost when she saw me in intensive care, she told me she didn't want touch me because she 'didn't want to break me anymore'. I didn't go cycling for four months, I was paranoid after what happened, it took a while to get my confidence back and just to make sure I didn't go back too soon, Yaz hid my cycling shoes.

"I would say the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity is invaluable, we are lucky to have them, and I'm especially lucky to have them, they saved my life."