A GoFundMe page has managed to raise more than £3,600 to help the family following the crash that left Jamie Ellior, 32, needing to use a wheelchair as he recovers from his injuries
A pregnant mum has spoken of the horror she experienced as she watched her partner being “brought back to life” after being crushed between a car and his van.
Roxy Ward, 34, was in the passenger seat of the van owned by fiancé Jamie Elliot, 32, when the crash unfolded in Plymouth, Devon. Elliot, a self-employed trader, lay unresponsive in the road as people performed CPR to save his life.
Roxy said Jamie had picked her up from work and was outside his van when he was struck by a car and crushed against his vehicle. She added: “I witnessed it all. It was pretty traumatic but all happened so quickly. I was in the passenger seat and couldn’t stop screaming. It was such a fast horrible episode.
“I got out and was terrified to see if Jamie was ok. He was unconscious on the floor and unresponsive. We were surrounded by a lot of people who tried to help us ring ambulances. Luckily the RNLI have an office close by and they came to give first aid. They did CPR on him as he wasn’t breathing at the scene. Within minutes the ambulance and police turned up and took us to hospital.”
While scans showed Jamie suffered no internal damage or brain injury, he has currently lost the use of one leg after it was broken in two places and has been left wheelchair-bound. He has had an operation to repair muscle damage, he’s had two more operations to carry out a skin graft.
Roxy told PlymothLive: “He was released from hospital after nine days but to get full use of his leg could take up to 12 months – and then he might need a further operation. He can not walk at all. The trauma of that leg has left him pretty much wheelchair bound. I’m pregnant with twins and we also have a six and a 16 year old.
“It has been a complete whirlwind. He will be out of work for several months and he is self employed so won’t be getting paid. We were putting our house on market to make more room for the babies but we’ve had to stop that.
“I am due to go on maternity leave soon so financially it has been a massive struggle as well as mentally. Jamie needs the wheelchair to leave the house and it is not easy but we’ve tried to keep the kids sheltered from it as much as possible.”
Roxy, who was pregnant at the time of the crash, said the their twins were due on March 31 next year. She also initially declined the offer of a GoFundMe page that was set up by a neighbour following the November 21 crash.
Since being set up on December 8, the fundraiser has managed to reach £3,695 in donations out of a £4,500 target. Money raised would go towards helping the family over the festive period and to “tide them over for the next few months.”
Jordan Blackmore, of Fore Street, Bere Ferrers has since been charged with GBH with intent as well as a public order offence. He has been remanded in custody until January 6 for a plea hearing at Plymouth Crown Court.
To view the fundraiser, click here.
