By John Geoghegan
The Echo
EASTWOOD, England — An ambulance worker who suffered horrific injuries when he was run over by a quad bike has said he is determined to walk again.
Victor Brushette, 56, from Eastwood, received multiple broken bones and possibly permanent damage to his right shoulder, but says he feels no animosity to the person responsible.
The father-of-two is recovering at home after being discharged from Southend Hospital last week.
He was working as an ambulance technician doing hospital transfers for Southend Hospital, when he was hit on Sunday, May 23, in Western Esplanade.
The crash shattered Victor’s left leg and caused an open fracture in the other. He also fractured eight ribs, broke his right elbow, tore a shoulder muscle and punctured both lungs.
Speaking from the home he shares with wife, Sue, 52, in Eastwood Park Drive, Victor said: “I’m doing OK, but it’s very hard.
“I can’t go out on my own.
“The doctors are pretty confident my legs will be OK with lots of exercise.
“I will walk again, there are no two ways about it.”
Victor, who has been prescribed heavy painkillers, cannot walk at all and has to get around in a wheelchair.
On the day of the incident, Victor was driving along the seafront with a colleague, having just dropped off a patient, when he was flagged down by someone who had been involved in a two-car crash.
He stopped to check if there were any casualties and was directing traffic past the site when he was struck.
Victor said: “I don’t remember much about it. I just remember seeing the guy’s face and then him hitting me.
“I was just in the wrong place, at the wrong time.
“If the guy was stood in front of me now and said,'I’m sorry’, I would say ‘OK, that’s life, you get on with yours and I’ll get on with mine.’ “I don’t hate him. I’m glad he hit me because if it had been a child or elderly person they would probably be dead.”
Victor was treated at Southend Hospital’s critical care ward, then the high dependency unit and finally Castle Point ward, before he was allowed home.
He is now having regular physiotherapy from hospital staff.
He said: “The hospital staff were all fantastic.”
Because of his shoulder injury, Victor and Sue are worried he may never return to the job he loves.
Victor said: “According to the doctors, I probably won’t be able to lift anything because of my shoulder In my job, I sometimes have to lift people up five or six flights of stairs.
“I’m hopeful but I’m doubtful.
“The doctors said it’s about three-to-one against. I love what I do. I love helping people out and talking to them.”
Sue added: “We’ve a lot to be grateful for. There were no head or back injuries.
“At first, I was afraid Victor might be brain-damaged. When you think of the severity of the injuries six weeks ago.
“Then he was in an induced coma and took three days to come round. Ultimately, he will be OK.
“He’s a good healer. He’s healed really quickly.” Two men have been arrested in connection with the incident.
James Lewis, 28, of Broomfield Street, Poplar, East London, is charged with causing grievous bodily harm, dangerous driving, causing injury by wanton and furious driving, driving while disqualified, driving without insurance, driving without a licence and escaping from lawful custody.
He was remanded in custody until his next appearance, at Basildon Crown Court, on July 23.
A 21-year-old man, from Rainham, who was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving, has been bailed until August 6.
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