By ALAN ERSKINE
A DESPERATE call to the first person on a mobile phone call list – a paramedic – has almost certainly saved the life of veteran road and mountain bike racer Errol Schmidt.
The 54-year-old suffered multiple head and spinal fractures, along with face and chest injuries in a horrific training ride crash in isolated bushland near the Murray River on the outskirts of Mildura, and was virtually unable to move.
Luckily, his flip-top phone was intact in his race vest. After a frustrating and failed call to the 000 emergency hot line, and in danger of choking on his own blood, Errol broke off contact with the emergency operator and hit the first name on his phone’s contact list.
The friend, a qualified paramedic, was at work, and within minutes both he and an ambulance were on their way.
Errol’s partner and fellow veteran rider Stephanie Frawley related the drama from Melbourne this week after flying to be with him in Melbourne.
She said Errol had left his Red Cliffs home on his mountain bike mid-afternoon last Thursday, with the intention of cycling the river-side car, cycling and walking track on its meandering 50-kilometre pat...
»
Read More …
