Miracle recovery - and marriage - of Warwickshire man given 48 hours to live

AFTER David Jenkins was involved in an horrific head-on collision, medics told his family the bad news… he was unlikely to live through the next 48 hours.

David had been heading to work at 7.30am on 25th November 2022. He left his home in Lighthorne Heath and five minutes later, on a bend near Bishop’s Itchington, his Mazda MX-5, was in a head-on crash with another vehicle.

He had significant life-threatening injuries including a fractured pelvis, ribs and clavicle. His arm was fractured in three places along with five vertebrae – including the top of his neck– both sides of his jaw and eye socket. His liver and spleen had been lacerated, he had a punctured lung and a brain injury.

Yet David survived thanks, in no small part, to the life-saving efforts of the Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA) and staff in the major trauma unit at University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire (UHCW) in Coventry. It meant that a year later, on 25th November 2023, David was able to marry his fiancée of nine years, Rachel, at St John’s House, Warwick.

The happy ending to their story was against the odds.

“When the red phone rang, we knew this was very likely to be a serious mission as it was a freezing morning and it sounded very significant from the call details,” said WNAA critical care paramedic, Matthew Stringfellow.

“Once we were with David it was very clear he was critically unwell, and we needed to perform life-saving interventions immediately. We quickly examined him, identifying multiple life-threatening injuries and we, as a critical care team, alongside NHS ambulance service staff, rapidly provided critical care to him at the scene”.

This included a pre-hospital emergency anaesthesia, which allowed the crew to insert a breathing tube into David’s lungs, and providing blood transfusion products.

“When we handed David over to the major trauma centre team, we were very worried for David’s life and long-term outcome, due to the extent of his injuries,” Matthew added.

Emergency surgery was performed on David’s arm while metal plates were inserted on both sides of his jaws. He also underwent eight hours of spinal surgery, putting in plates and pins at the top of his spine.

Rachel, who was taken to the hospital by police, said: “He spent three months in critical care, where he was in an induced coma. He was then transferred to a neurology ward, and then spent a further six weeks in a rehabilitation hospital.”

David had to learn how to do everything again, including walking, talking, and eating, and at the end of April 2023, he finally went home.

“Because of the traumatic brain injury, David does struggle with fatigue, and he has many hospital outpatient appointments, but overall, he’s recovering well. From being given 48 hours to live, to returning home and living a normal life – it really is a miracle,” adds Rachel.

Once David was able to, the couple visited the critical care crew at the air ambulance’s base at Coventry Airport, Baginton.

“Due to the severity of his injuries, the crew were amazed to see the extent of David’s recovery,” said Rachel. “It was great to speak to the pilot and learn about the equipment, the helicopter and crew, and to especially speak with Matthew and Jenny.

“David wouldn’t be here without them all.”