Derek’s story: Making history as an amputee paramedic

Visual Derek is sitting outside on a deck. He is in portrait view, from mid-chest level up. He is bald with a short grey beard. He is wearing a short sleeve brown and white shirt with a Pacifica pattern on it. Transcript Soft background orchestral music plays in the background. My son, the excitement that was on on Visual A video plays of Derek at the rehabilitation centre after his injury. He is smiling and walking between two handrails. His son, a young boy around the age of 5, excitably walks beside him on the other side of the handrail. Transcript his face and he was walking up and down, grabbing on my hand. Visual Screen cuts back to present time and shows Derek sitting outside on the deck. He raises his hand as he speaks, emphasising his emotion. He is teary eyed. Transcript That was the moment I knew I was going to be okay. I was actually going to do this. Visual A video plays of Derek at the rehabilitation centre after his injury. It shows him walking and focuses on his prosthetic leg Video cuts to show Derek doing a squat on an assisted machine. A physical trainer stands a few metres behind him watching. A series of short video clips show Derek living his day-to day life working as a paramedic, at home picking up his son and kissing his face, diving into the ocean with his prosthetic leg then steering the boat smiling. Transcript There's no way I could have achieved what I achieved without constant support from ACC. Visual Derek is sitting outside on a chair putting on his prosthetic leg and stands up. Text: Derek Eady. DIY accident survivor Transcript So, it was a nice day and the job I had on the list of things to do was get the roof painted. Visual A high drone shot of the house. It is a single level, grey modern house in the countryside. Screen changes to show a close-up view of the grey aluminium roof edge Transcript I just put my foot onto the wet paint, and it was like standing on soap. Visual Derek is sitting outside on the deck as he tells his story Transcript I remember trying to clobber and stop myself from sliding, Visual A Birds eye view drone shot shows the roof edge and surrounding land Transcript but it just got faster and came over the edge of the roof. Visual An injured Derek is being moved into the ambulance on a stretcher Transcript My livelihood was gone, you know, I was never going to be able to Visual Screen changes to present time showing Derek sitting outside on the deck as he tells his story. Transcript play rugby with my boy, all those sorts of thoughts were just racing through my head. Visual Text: Ironically, Derek worked as an ambulance paramedic. Derek is in the ambulance, lying down on the stretcher as paramedics attend to his injuries Text: The senior paramedic on the scene was Simon Gibb – Derek’s mentor and a good mate Screen focuses on Simon Gibb in the ambulance at the scene. He is a middle-aged man with a moustache. Transcript I could sort of see them coming out of the ambulance and just to see him walking down Visual Derek is lying on the stretcher bed in the ambulance Screen changes to present time showing Derek sitting outside on the deck as he tells his story. Transcript ... sorry... filled me with relief. I just knew I was I was gonna be in good hands. Visual Simon Gibb is sitting in the back of the ambulance in his paramedic uniform as he speaks Transcript Simon Gibb speaking: Recognize the address as Derek's address sort of put a bit of a lump on my throat going: Visual A flashback clip plays of Derek at the time of injury, being lifted into the ambulance on a stretcher bed. Transcript "Oh, heck this is somebody I know." Visual Simon Gibb is sitting in the ambulance in uniform. Transcript Seeing Derek lying down there and when I was within range of his voice, he just looked at me and go: "Gibbo I can't feel my legs." Visual Injured Derek is in a stretcher being moved into a rescue helicopter Transcript And pretty much the lump in my throat got 17 times bigger. I'm gonna need to suppress any emotions I’ve got here to do my job. It's a colleague, Visual Red Westpac rescue helicopter is flying away. Screen switches back to present day Simon narrating as he sits in the back of the ambulance. Transcript it's a good friend and he’s hurt, and he's hurt bad. Visual Text: Derek had broken his back in three places and suffered a badly fractured leg A medical illustration of a fractured leg. Screen changes to show an x-ray of Derek’s broken leg that has been operated on. It shows a rod and several screws in his leg. Transcript Derek: Surgeons doctors were talking years and they were still not sure about ever walking again. Visual A series of photographs showing Derek’s broken leg after surgery with a metal brace around it, Derek sitting up in the hospital bed, Derek’s leg in a cast Transcript It's pretty hard on the family as well, I was no help to Kirsten here she was trying Visual Derek is sitting outside on the deck as he tells his story Transcript to work full time, we had a four-year-old - it was a lot of pressure on the family Visual Series of clips show Kirsten working at the dining room table, and tending to their four-year-old son Transcript A lot of pressure on the girls in their early teens and when you take one of us Visual Their two teenage daughters in school uniform are arriving home from school walking into the house Transcript out of the equation, and heap all that onto your spouse it's quite damaging. Visual Two photographs show a black and white portrait of the family and Derek and Kirsten Screen changes back to show Derek sitting outside on the deck as he tells his story Text: Derek’s broken leg then developed a bone infection – it had to be amputated. A photograph of Derek shows him in hospital, in bed after his leg has been amputated Transcript Possibility of getting back to work was just gone, the active lifestyle that I, I had was gone. Visual Two photographs show Derek in hospital after his leg amputation. In one photograph he is having his prosthetic leg fitted and in the other he is putting it on himself Transcript And then I just started researching, you know, what was out there with prosthetics Visual Derek is sitting outside on the deck as he tells his story Screen changes to show a series of YouTube clips of men playing sports with a prosthetic leg. One is running, one is snowboarding, and the last one is surfing Transcript what were people doing with prosthetics, what was going to be possible. Visual YouTube clip shows a man with a prosthetic leg confidently surfing Transcript Within a matter of hours, changed my whole outlook from "oh my god Visual Derek is sitting outside on the deck as he tells his story Transcript I'm probably never going to get back to work" to: "damn it I'm going to be the first one Transcript to get back to an active frontline role with a prosthetic." Visual Text: Derek returned to work one year after his accident – becoming the only amputee to ever work as a frontline paramedic in New Zealand Derek arriving at work getting out of his Ute wearing his paramedic uniform Transcript It was a pretty proud moment for me you know, it was recovering that final piece of how I was. Visual Derek is walking through the carpark at work towards the office Transcript Gibbo: He bounced back and was actually an inspiration to a lot of our staff. Visual Simon Gibb is sitting in the back of the ambulance in his paramedic uniform as he speaks Transcript He'd gone through such a horrendous accident and got through it, Visual Simon is welcoming Derek back to work. They are having a conversation in the ambulance Transcript stubborn as he is, got back to work and was working front line. Visual Simon Gibb is sitting in the back of the ambulance in his paramedic uniform as he speaks Text: As well as helping Derek return to work, ACC supported him in many other ways. A photograph shows Derek back at work. He is facing the camera and smiling in the ambulance Transcript Derek: It was never just about financial support in maintaining an income and paying my wages. Visual Derek is sitting outside on the deck as he tells his story A series of video clips show Derek in the gym working on his rehabilitation Transcript ACC was instrumental in putting together rehabilitation programs and, you know, connecting me with my rehabilitation physio, specialists, the pain teams and coordinators for what I needed to be able to keep living at home. Visual Derek is at a health provider appointment. The health professional is looking at his amputated leg and measuring the circumference. Transcript The support, it was immense, and it was consistent and it Visual Derek walks into the reception area at ACC, the receptionist smiles as he walks towards the front desk. Derek is in a meeting room with an ACC staff member, and they are having a conversation Transcript was just fundamental to to my recovery really. Visual Derek is sitting outside on the deck as he tells his story Text: ACC research shows around 90% of injuries are preventable Transcript Anything you're doing, stop and think - just stop and think what if. Visual Derek is walking along a path in his garden, looking up at the roof Transcript If I'd only done that, I think I still would have been up on the roof painting it, Visual Derek is sitting outside on the deck as he tells his story Transcript probably would have had a safety line and a harness. Visual Video shows Derek’s house and points towards the roof Transcript I was blasé about it, I was "she'll be right, Visual Derek is walking up the ramp to his deck Transcript been on the roof hundreds of times - never fallen off it before." Visual Derek is walking on his deck, looking up at the roof Transcript There's always the one time. Stupidest thing about it: I had the safety gear Visual Derek is sitting outside on the deck as he tells his story Derek is standing on the deck. His arms are resting on the balustrade as he gazes into the distance Transcript sitting in the shed, just didn’t stop and think: "what if?" Visual Text: Derek has now retired from ambulance duty and has a new perspective on life since his accident Video pans across the ocean. It is taken from a boat and shows the front end of it Transcript I just don't take anything for granted anymore. Visual Derek is sitting outside on the deck as he tells his story Transcript I don't take time for granted, time that I have with, you know, Visual Derek’s family are on the boat Transcript with family and doing the things that I enjoy doing. Visual A video shows Derek diving in the ocean and him with a crayfish he has caught Transcript I'd grown up sailing and I suppose that had always been a bit of a pipe dream of Visual A turtle is swimming in the ocean Derek is on a boat steering it with his family Transcript wanting to jump on a sailboat and sail around the Pacific. Visual A boat is sailing in the open ocean Transcript That was really calling, and I wanted to be able to share that with my wife and with my kids. Visual Derek and his family are sailing in the ocean on the boat. The video shows Derek’s son in the front taking the video in selfie mode.