The mother of a man who was involved in a life-changing car accident has spoken of his remarkable recovery less than two years later.
Sam Kirby, 31, had been staying near Keswick on holiday, and was driving back to his home in Gloucester when the collision happened.
The incident happened on the A591 near Troutbeck Bridge, in November 2024, and required a multi-agency emergency response, including police, fire service, North West Ambulance Service and the Great North Air Ambulance Service.
Sam sustained a brain injury, in addition to breaking several bones in his body, including his arms, legs, ribs, shoulder bone, and a small part of his spine.
His family were at home awaiting his return when they got a knock at their door late in the evening and were informed that Sam had been involved in a collision.
Sam’s parents Pete and Maggie travelled to Royal Preston Hospital, where Sam had been taken for further treatment, arriving at 2am, and saw him just before he was taken into theatre.
His siblings travelled over later that day and were able to stay with their grandparents who live in Preston, where their mother is originally from.
Mrs Kirby said: “We were given a huge amount of information but it didn’t all go in and it was just a waiting game.
“He was heavily sedated and kept having operations to fix the different breaks in his limbs, and then day six or seven they were weaning him off the sedation and he didn’t wake up.
“My sister, Bernadette, is an anaesthetist in Manchester and was by our side for the first couple of weeks, interpreting the medical jargon and answering our many questions. She was our rock.
“An MRI confirmed he had a brain injury, but with the brain injury the hardest thing was that no one could tell us what it could be as no two brain injuries are the same.
“He had been minimally conscious and we didn’t know if he would walk or talk or eat again. We had some quite bleak words from the brain neurology consultant who said that the only thing he’s got in his favour is that he’s young.”
Sam spent four weeks in Preston before being moved down to Southmead Hospital in Bristol.
He then spent time in hospitals in Cheltenham and Gloucester and a brain injury rehab unit in Bristol.
Mrs Kirby said: “It’s been really tough but he’s recovered far better than we hoped he would.
“He was given modafinil, a miracle drug, and we called it the grand awakening as suddenly he woke up and switched on and started engaging in therapy. Then in June he walked for the first time.”
Sam eventually came home in September, and a year after his incident, he travelled up north with his family to thank some of the people who helped him with his recovery.
Mrs Kirby said: “The police at the start were just amazing and compassionate. Every time they got in touch the first question was, ‘how is Sam doing?’. They were the ones who put me in touch with the Great North Air Ambulance Service, the fire service and North West Ambulance Service.
“We met the police on the way up who we had been dealing with, including the police officer who was first on scene. It was an emotional day but quite therapeutic for all of us.”
After meeting the police, the family visited the Great North Air Ambulance’s base near Eaglescliffe and met doctor Daniel Bearn.
Mrs Kirby said: “We met Dan which was just a really special moment. Dan went to shake Sam’s hand and Sam said to him you’re not getting a handshake come here and gave him a hug and I did the same.
“Dan and the fire crew were all saying we can’t believe you’re sat here talking to us and so glad it was a positive outcome.
“It was a very emotional rollercoaster, we met the fire service in Windemere, then Preston ICU on the way back down.
“When we got home on Sunday night Sam was just sat at the table doing nothing and saying nothing and I asked if he was ok and he said, ‘yes I didn’t realise how lucky I was and I would like you to start calling me miracle boy from now on’.
To help with his recovery, Sam’s brother Harry has set him a challenge to walk up Helvellyn, which he hopes to potentially achieve in September.
He will be doing it with his friends and family, as well as some of the air ambulance team and firefighters who helped him and will be raising funds for the Great North Air Ambulance Service.
Mrs Kirby said: “I think Sam probably wouldn’t be here without Great North Air Ambulance Service and we owe everything to them.
“We had a huge number of people involved in his survival and recovery and the paramedics did a really good job but I think Dan was very modest about the part he played.
“Someone later explained to me what happened medically that night, including how Dan had accompanied Sam to the hospital. We owe so much to everyone involved, and Dan was certainly one of those people.”
The Great North Air Ambulance Service are giving people the chance to have their name – or the name of someone special to them – displayed on one of their new helicopters.
To find out more visit https://gna.as/written2026
