Meet the miraculous survivors saved by Yorkshire Air Ambulance

Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) serves five million people across Yorkshire and carries out more than 1,300 missions every year.

The charity operates two, state-of-the-art Airbus H145 helicopters and needs to raise £12,000 every day to keep saving lives.

Every year, YAA treats a diverse mix of patients. In 2021 alone, it responded to 1,712 incidents and over the last 20 years, it has flown more than 8,300 patients to major trauma centres across the region, often for life-saving treatment.

Here are just a small example of people the YAA has helped over the years.

Hayley Delaney, from Bradford, was only five weeks away from completing her midwifery course when she was involved in a serious road traffic collision when a car ran a red light at a crossroads near Cleckheaton back in 2013.

She was left with significant brain injuries and had to learn to walk again.

“The air ambulance are my angels in the sky. I wouldn’t be here without them," she said.

"They have saved my life and changed my life, and they will always hold a special place in my heart."

On April 10, 2019, Kayanna Nicol, from Doncaster, who was seven at the time, accidentally walked into the pathway of an ongoing vehicle.

The back wheel of the car caught her leg and split it from side to side causing a massive trauma.

Kayanna was flown to Sheffield Children’s Hospital, where she was rushed into a five-hour surgery to save her leg.

Kayanna’s father, Keith, said: “She received excellent attention and the treatment that Kayanna received was second to none.

"I couldn’t fault anyone; they are all brilliant people.”

Caroline Shepherd, from Helmsley, was out hunting on her horse at Lockton near Pickering in 2018 when she suddenly collapsed and fell from it.

Caroline was airlifted to James Cook University Hospital, where brain scans revealed that she had suffered from a subarachnoid haemorrhage.

Doctors told her that she was lucky to be alive as she had technically died at the scene before being resuscitated.

Caroline is now a registered volunteer for Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

“I owe them my life and I cannot thank them enough for everything they have done,” she said.

Anthony Burman was involved in a serious motorcycle racing incident at Elvington race track near York in 2009.

He said: ‘Without the Yorkshire Air Ambulance I would not be where I am today.

"You just never know when you or your family may need these heroes."

Professor Ben von Hout suffered a near fatal cardiac arrest in York in May 2019.

Speaking of his incident, Ben said: “The faster you are at hospital, the better the results are and of course going in the helicopter decreases the time between symptoms and having a stent placed.

"I can only be thankful to everyone doing such a good job. I can’t believe how lucky I am.”

Robert Wood was doing some maintenance work on the 106-year-old bells at Middleham Parish Church in Wensleydale, when he slipped and fell several feet onto part of the mechanism, impaling his chin on a metal peg.

YAA crews flew Robert to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesborough for an urgent four hour operation on his jaw.

“The land and then air ambulance were there very quickly, and I was just so grateful to be flown to hospital within minutes," he said.

"They saved me from what would have been a long and painful journey of over an hour on winding roads.”

Imran Choudhry, from Oldham, featured in a one-hour special episode "Critical Hour" of the award winning television show, Helicopter ER.

His accident, which saw him fall around 100ft down a steep ravine from the Trinnacle Point at Saddleworth Moor, was one of YAA’s most complex rescues in its 22 years of operations.

He said: “They are my angels who saved me.

"I’m so grateful for their help. It was a very challenging rescue and it’s amazing what they did to save me.”

On September 26, 2019, Nigel Atkinson was riding his motorcycle on the M18 motorway near Thorne.

As he was passing an articulated goods vehicle, the prop shaft from that wagon flew off into the front wheel of his bike, resulting in Nigel coming off his bike at 70mph and causing him serious damage.

A passer-by named Matthew, who was driving his van, positioned his vehicle to protect Nigel as he was airborne, so no further damage came to him on the busy motorway and then started immediate CPR until the emergency services arrived.

YAA dispatched their helicopter and Nigel was flown to hospital for further treatment.

“I’m eternally grateful to the YAA and Matthew’s heroic efforts,” said Nigel.

Abby Barmby, director of marketing and communications, added: “These are just a few of the remarkable people we have been able to help and save over our 22 years of operations.

"All of them highlight the vital work we do, and how our crews really do help to save lives.

"We are so grateful to each of them for allowing us to share their stories and help us educate people about the work our charity does.

"As an independent charity which receives no direct Government funding, we rely solely on charitable donations so having previous patients share their stories really does helps us spread the word.”

To learn more about Yorkshire Air Ambulance, visit https://www.yorkshireairambulance.org.uk/