Samantha Hymers, 29, originally from Chilton, was seriously injured after a two-vehicle crash on the A167 near Newton Aycliffe on 15 July 2019.

Two helicopters from GNAAS attended scene, alongside the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) and the teams worked together to assess and treat both Mrs Hymers and the other driver’s injuries.

Speaking about the incident, Chris Smith, a doctor at GNAAS said: “When we arrived on scene Sam was still trapped in her vehicle and was seriously injured. After she was extracted, her condition deteriorated, and she needed urgent advanced treatment on scene otherwise she wasn’t going to survive.

“We gave her a blood transfusion and put her into a medically induced coma, which means we took over her breathing by placing her on a ventilator to prevent any potential brain injury from getting worse, before airlifting her to hospital in seven minutes.”

Mrs Hymers was flown to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, where she remained in an induced coma for a week, and spent two weeks in intensive care.

She said: “While I was unconscious, my family were living through a nightmare. They had to deal with the fear, the uncertainty and the waiting. Alongside GNAAS, they were my saviours.”

Mrs Hymers required multiple surgeries after injuring her right-hand side, including a broken tibia, fibula fractures, oblique fractures, abdominal lacerations and a small fracture to her neck. Her pelvis had to be rebuilt and she had to learn to walk again. She left hospital after three months to continue her recovery at home, which she described as a “long and painful journey”.

In the six years after her incident, Mrs Hymers met her husband, Michael, in 2020, reunited with Dr Smith in 2022 to thank him for his help and credits GNAAS for saving two lives, after the birth of her daughter Evelyn, who is now 18 months old.

Mrs Hymers is now backing GNAAS’ new appeal called Operation SOS: Secure Our Service, which aims to raise £2.5m to fund the deposit for a third aircraft.

The charity’s current two helicopters are coming to the end of their economically viable life and in response they’ve designed the blueprints for a stronger future, investing in three state-of-the-art helicopters ready to meet growing demand, deliver more advanced medical care, and ensure continuous full coverage across the North East, Cumbria, North Yorkshire, and the Isle of Man.

During the launch event of the appeal, Mrs Hymers delivered an emotional testimony highlighting how vital the service is and why the public should support the charity.

She said: “Because someone donated, the helicopter was there when I needed it most. There was a doctor on board who was able to give me the attention that I needed on the roadside. I was able to wake up, recover and live my life.

“I got to walk again, marry the love of my life, and hold my daughter in my arms. I’ve thought about this a lot since she was born, because someone donated, held a fundraiser, showed they cared, GNAAS saved two lives that day. Without them, my daughter would not be here today, and I am so grateful to them for that. I can’t imagine a world without her light, laughter and smile.

“Let’s keep them flying.”