Teenager injured in hit-and-run meets Air Ambulance paramedic who saved his life

A teenager who is lucky to be alive after being knocked down in a hit-and-run as he walked home has met the paramedic who helped to save his life.

Nineteen-year-old Corey Russell had to be placed in a medically-induced coma after the incident in the early hours of September 3, 2023.

Corey had been on a night out with his friends and was walking back to his home when he was hit.

His mother, Claire Russell, 43, described the moment police knocked on her her door, at a time when she was home alone: "I looked out of the window and saw the police car and the officers heading straight to my door.

"When I answered I said 'Which one is it?' They said it was Corey and I asked where I needed to go and get him, but then they said he had life-threatening injuries.”

Keen angler Corey had only been out that night because plans for the following day had been cancelled.

"He wasn’t meant to be going out because he had a fishing competition the next day, and normally he would be sorting out what he needs for it, but he got a phone call and was told he’d already been put through to the next round so he didn’t need to go," said Claire.

Corey has fished at Tunstall Reservoir since he was around four years old and won the Tuesday night boat league three years in a row. Before he turned 18, he also fished for the Youth England Team.

The teenager was heading back to his home in Croxdale near Durham City when disaster struck.

"The lady that saved his life heard a bang and thought it was two cars hitting each other," said Claire.

"She went outside and heard Corey on the road and ran over to him, and a gentleman who also heard it went to get the defibrillator from the community centre and rang 999.”

Corey had suffered three fractures in his spine, a fractured sternum, a shattered and dislocated shoulder blade, a broken left arm, a severe laceration on his right arm, lacerations to his kidney, liver and spleen, damage to his stomach and colon and a broken pelvis and hip.

Durham Constabulary were first on scene and directly contacted the critical care team at the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) and requested their assistance.

A paramedic and doctor from GNAAS travelled to the scene in a rapid response vehicle, as they only travel via helicopter during daylight hours.

The charity initially launched their night-time service in the North East in 2015 covering Friday and Saturday nights, from 8pm to 8am, and have since expanded to cover every night of the week, which means they now operate 24/7 in the area.

While they were en route, the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) arrived on the scene and began assessing and treating Corey’s injuries.

GNAAS paramedic Ian Grey described what happened when the GNAAS team arrived: "We received an excellent extensive handover from paramedic Paul Renwick.," he said.

"The NEAS crew had done a superb job treating Corey, but he needed interventions only we could provide. 

"After our own assessment, it was clear Corey's condition was critical, therefore, we immediately commenced with a blood transfusion and decided that we would have to anaesthetise Corey to put him in a medically-induced coma to secure his airway and to protect his brain from further injury."

Once stabilised, Corey was carried to the NEAS road ambulance, and driven to Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary, with the GNAAS critical care team accompanying him.

He underwent seven hours of surgery and spent a total of three weeks in hospital before returning home, which was just in time for a presentation night for a fishing competition.

"From waking up, he was determined he was going to get there, and luckily we managed to get him to the presentation," said Claire.

"During the night, all the guys who fish with him gave him a round of applause, and they’ve been really supportive."

While Corey was in hospital, the family raised £550 for GNAAS and recently visited the charity's base handed it over at the charity’s base, where they met Ian.

"It’s one of those stories that really makes you think how lucky Corey was," he said.

"If we weren’t operating as a 24/7 service, we wouldn’t have been there to treat Corey and help to save his life. Then who knows what the outcome would have been?"

GNAAS needs to raise £8.5million a year to remain operational. To find out more about how you can support the charity visit: gna.as/fund247