HE’S ONLY 17… AND A BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION ENDED WITH HIM BEING CRUSHED BY A CAR..! – MITCHELL SWAINSTON SUFFERS HORRIFIC HEAD AND FACIAL INJURIES IN FREAK ALBANY INCIDENT.
The Albany community has rallied around a teenager who was crushed during a freak accident which left him hospitalised in Perth, raising more than $21,000 to support his family.
Mitchell Swainston was celebrating a friend’s birthday on August 2 when he was crushed by a car, leaving him with catastrophic injuries.
The 17-year-old was rushed to Albany Health Campus and then flown via the Royal Flying Doctor Service to Royal Perth Hospital’s State trauma unit for emergency treatment.
He suffered a host of serious injuries including severe head trauma, bleeding on his brain, multiple skull and facial fractures, and fractures to his ear canals.
His injuries have required multiple surgeries and have kept him hospitalised for more than a week.
Mitchell’s aunt Keely Kennedy created a GoFundMe campaign the day after the incident to help the family get through Mitchell’s recovery while both he and his mother are out of full-time work.
The online fundraiser has so far received more than $21,000 in donations from family, friends and strangers, and has been shared by dozens of people throughout the community who want to do everything they can to support a local family through a challenging time.
Mitchell’s mother Leighah Reid works as a nurse in Albany, and has taken time off work to be at her son’s side in Perth.
She said donations from the community had taken a weight off her shoulders.
“It’s nice to see that there’s still such amazing community spirit out there,” Ms Reid said.
“People have been so generous.
“I’ve had to take time off work and come up to Perth to be with Mitchell while he’s in hospital. I’m not sure when I’ll be able to go back to work.”
Ms Reid said the financial implications were not at the forefront of the family’s mind when the accident happened, but it quickly became clear a stint in hospital, surgeries and treatments, and multiple family members out of work would take a toll.
“At first Mitchell was worried about being away from work, and we obviously told him not to worry because we’d pay for whatever he needed, but my sister Keely pointed out that I would also have a loss of income, so it was going to have a huge impact on us,” she said.
“Having that extra money has taken that pressure off all of us.
“Even if Mitchell’s recovery takes months, I can be at home with him. I don’t have to think about going back to work until he’s completely well.”
Ms Reid said Mitchell was doing well but still had a long road to recovery ahead of him, and she had been blown away by the community’s support since the life-changing accident.
“A massive thank you to everyone who has donated to help our family. We are so grateful,” she said.
“All these strangers who have given up their money, or even those who can’t afford to give money who have shared the GoFundMe around the community.
“It’s amazing to see so many people who have given something to people they don’t even know, as well as those people who know Mitchell and our family, who have supported us as well.
“Everyone has really rallied around us when we’ve needed it most.”
