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August 3, 2020 In Uncategorized

Air Rescue Patient: Matt Aldridge

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Air Rescue Patient: Matt Aldridge

Matt Aldridge was travelling at about 60kmh when he crashed into a rocky outcrop in Christchurch’s Port Hills.

Matt was speed-flying – an advanced type of paragliding that uses a smaller, more manoeuvrable wing – when the accident happened in July 2018.

He sustained severe injuries to his legs and back but says he probably would have been paralysed had it not been for the rapid response of Canterbury’s Westpac Rescue Helicopter crew.

Aldridge was in his fifth year of studying medicine and hoped to be a surgeon when the accident happened.

He was a keen mountaineer and took up speed-flying about two years earlier, having obtained two paragliding licences.

He was low-flying near to Christchurch Gondola, “pushing it quite a lot”, and scraping through the tussock.

“I was doing some laps there, it might have been my fourth or fifth that day.

“I came round a corner and there was a small rock outcrop and I went straight into it. I catapulted down the hill a bit. I came to a stop and tried to move my legs but there was nothing.”

Rescue Helicopter paramedics were able to reach him and he was rushed to hospital.

He was in a wheelchair for six months and has undergone several operations.

“Originally I was told I would never move my legs again. After about a year I was off crutches.

“If it wasn’t for the rescue helicopter, if it had taken any longer, my back probably wouldn’t have recovered and I wouldn’t be moving my legs.”

The Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust – which has flown 14,000 rescue missions since it was founded in 1989 – needs to raise $6m per annum to provide the life-saving service, but is 50 per cent down on funding since the Covid-19 outbreak. The Trust relies on community support to keep this life-saving service operational 24/7/365

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2017 Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust | PO Box 20262 Bishopdale, Christchurch 8543, New Zealand | Phone 03 358 8244 | Web by hairyLemon Registered Charity CC23893
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The Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust (Charities Services #CC23893) is concerned with protecting the privacy of all personal information and no information will be passed onto a third party. The Trust collects and securely stores personal information to keep the community informed about our work. You can check your personal information or be removed as a subscriber at any time by contacting us on 03 358 8244 or supportcrew@ airrescue.co.nz. Any donation of $5 or more is tax deductible. We will send you a tax receipt by email. Thank you for supporting the Rescue Helicopters in Canterbury and on the West Coast - your support is greatly valued and saves lives.

WHERE YOUR DONATIONS GO

Ongoing training

Ongoing training

The initial cost to train a new Air Rescue crew member is $30,000, with ongoing training $25,000 per year

Operational costs

Operational costs

It contributes towards the cost of each life-saving mission, including fuel and crewing costs. Together, our community contributes approximately $5,000 towards the cost of every life-saving mission.

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2017 Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust | PO Box 20262 Bishopdale, Christchurch
8543, New Zealand | Phone 03 358 8244
Registered Charity CC23893