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Mother speaks of son’s resilience six years after glider crash


The mother of a man who survived a life-threatening glider crash when he was only 15 years old, has spoken of his incredible resilience six years later.


Olly Rastrick was piloting a glider in August 2019 when it crashed into the ground almost at the top of Cross Fell, the highest point in the Pennines.

Olly suffered life-threatening injuries in the crash, which was on an inaccessible Cumbrian mountainside, and after the team from the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) spotted the subsequent 999 call, they set off to the scene while the call was still ongoing.

The Great North Air Ambulance Service at the scene of a glider crash at Cross Fell, Cumbria

A doctor and two paramedics were on board the aircraft and it took around 20 minutes for the helicopter to fly to the location and land close by.

The charity’s critical care team gave Olly a blood transfusion and put him into a medically induced coma, before flying him to the intensive care unit at the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle.

Olly’s mother Miranda Rastrick was more than 300 miles away at the family home in Eastleigh and about to go shopping when she heard the news.

She then began the six-hour drive with her husband Phil to the hospital, fearing the worst.

She said: “I instantly thought he had died.

“I was told the air ambulance had taken him to hospital, so I knew it was very serious. It was unimaginable. I can only describe it as a numbness. I just had to be by his side.”

Her son had suffered a broken pelvis, femur, ankle and ribs, as well as a lacerated spleen and liver and a blood clot in his head.

Doctors believe he could have bled to death if he had not been treated at the scene and rescued from the remote location by helicopter so quickly.

Over the next week, Olly’s condition stabilised to the point where the doctors in the RVI decided to slowly reduce his sedation. Within 24 hours of the process beginning, Olly regained consciousness, becoming progressively more responsive as he did so.

With Olly making great strides, but still hundreds of miles from home, his doctors decided the next step was for him to return to the South Coast. But with his condition still precarious, a road transfer over such a long distance was ruled out. Instead, the clinicians arranged for GNAAS to undertake the transfer, after the charity’s day shift came to an end.

Olly was driven to the charity’s base at Teesside International Airport, which has since relocated to Eaglescliffe, and from there was flown to Southampton, so he could be closer to his friends and family.

Olly returned to the base at the start of 2020 to meet some of the team who helped him, and now six years later, Mrs Rastrick has given an update on Olly’s recovery.

She said: “Olly has shown incredible resilience since the crash, but it has been far from an easy journey. Every day brings hidden challenges, fatigue, memory lapses, frustration, and difficulties with decision-making that stem from his severe brain injury. These things aren’t always visible to others but affect every part of his life.

“At the same time, we’ve seen real milestones that remind us how far he’s come. At 21, he’s regained some independence in many ways; he has a driver’s license, enjoys projects that challenge him, and is learning how to manage the ups and downs of his condition. Each milestone feels hard-won, but it shows his determination to move forward.”

Olly hasn’t been able to return to gliding but he’s focusing on other interests that play to his strengths. The next big step for him is exploring independent living, finding a routine and a role that gives him purpose and fulfilment.

Mrs Rastrick added: “We have never stopped being grateful to GNAAS. Without them, Olly might not be here today. The speed, skill, and dedication of the crew that day gave him the chance to survive and to rebuild his life, and now six years on, we’re reminded daily of how precious that gift of life is, and we’ll always remember GNAAS for the life-saving work they do for so many families like ours.”

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