By David Taylor
The Daily Record
LANARKSHIRE, Scotland — A dad has become a paramedic after being inspired by the crew who saved his son’s life.
Donald Wilson, 44, gave up his sales job after witnessing a mercy team save seven-year-old son Jamie following a sledging incident.
The pair, of Uddingston, Lanarkshire, had been sledging with Jamie’s brother Ben, now 10, and mum Fiona, 43, during last year’s big freeze.
They had gone to Chatelherault country park, in Hamilton, to enjoy the massive snowfall on January 2. The family had only been sledging for 20 minutes when Jamie came zooming down the hill, crashed into Donald and was left unconscious.
Donald said: “I was walking up the hill when suddenly I was knocked off my feet.
“Jamie had come flying down the slope and crashed right into me.
“I’m around 14 stone so, when I came crashing down, I knew I had been hit at some speed.
“I knew as soon as I saw Jamie that something serious was wrong. My pal Craig was there too and, after making sure Jamie’s airway was clear, he called for paramedics who attended the scene before Jamie was airlifted to Glasgow’s Southern General hospital.”
Jamie spent two days in intensive care and a further two weeks in hospital recovering from his injuries.
Donald is sure that the quick response time of the paramedics was behind Jamie making a full recovery.
Impact He said: “After Jamie got out of hospital, I was thinking about how they had saved Jamie’s life and I decided I wanted to make an impact on other people’s lives too.”
Donald started out volunteering at weekends for the ambulance service’s First Responder teams but has since done a course which qualified him to become an ambulance technician.
He added: “This is a lifelong learning position and you continue to gain experience while on the job.
“I am in my probationary year just now but, although I had to take a drop in wages to start my new career, I am delighted I have done so.
“My son had first-class treatment from the ambulance service and it’s good to be able to give something back and do it as a career.
“It is a great job and immensely satisfying being able to help other people in difficulties.”
Jamie, who is now eight, said: “I’m very proud of my dad. When I’m older I want to be a paramedic too.”
Copyright 2011 Scottish Daily Record & Sunday Mail Ltd.