Samantha Hind’s life was turned upside down forever after she lost her leg in a life-threatening accident. Two years ago, she found herself stuck under a car. In an anguished 911 call, her husband, Jeff Hind, could barely slow his breathing even as he pleaded for help with his wife clinging to life. Paramedics were quick to arrive on the scene but determined her chances of survival to be under one percent.
In a dramatic turn of events, the paramedics managed to temporarily resuscitate her pulse by inflating her chest with a large needle. However, despite their best attempts, Samantha went into cardiac arrest just a few minutes later. So Andrew Burns, the other MICA paramedic, had to reopen her chest with a finger thoracostomy—a vacuum-cleaner-sized needle—to literally restart her heart. After this lifesaving procedure, Samantha was airlifted to the Alfred Hospital where she remained in a coma for 12 days.
A Fight for Survival
As Samantha fought for her life, her family’s optimism was tempered with fear. Jeff Hind remembered the terrifying time he had to yell for their son to call Triple Zero to request an ambulance. The emotional gravity of the moment was as heavy as any of the quicksand Samantha was telling him she thought she was perishing from.
“The first thing she said to me was, ‘I’m so sorry,’” – Jeff Hind
When Samantha finally did wake up, her family’s expectation of submission had to give way to exuberance. Her recovery journey started almost immediately, with weekly physiotherapy sessions focused on getting her strength and mobility back.
Only a year later, Samantha’s friends were amazed to find her fully recovered, proof positive of her spirit and moxie. Reflecting on her experience, she stated, “It’s been a long journey but I’m so thankful to be here. To be able to be with family, friends, it means the world.”
The Bonds that Strengthen
Out of the wreckage Samantha and Jeff’s relationship has emerged more resilient than ever. What has unfolded is their jointly marinated life you see at Samin’s home, where they embrace the joy and beauty in this world. Valuing relationships and appreciating small beauties in life, Samantha stressed the importance of valuing relationships and appreciating the little things in life after her near-fatal experience.
I keep my eye on the big picture and don’t sweat the small stuff. I love having a family, good friends, laughter and the happiness of my grandchildren. She noted.
While the trauma of Samantha’s experience lingers, it’s changed how she views her own survival. She understands that her experience, while bad, has been even worse for others.
“Even with what I went through, I still realise there are people out there who’ve been through worse and are going through worse.” – Samantha Hind
A Heartfelt Reunion
Two years after the incident, Brennan and her family were treated to a tear-jerking reunion. Teyha met the paramedics and Triple Zero call-taker who were instrumental in saving her life. Andrew Burns was thankful for the opportunity to be on the receiving end of Samantha’s impressive recovery.
“To see her standing here today with her family, with no deficits, walking around with all of her life ahead of her is one of the great privileges of being a paramedic, to deliver that to a family.” – Andrew Burns
Samantha’s story should be a wake-up call for each and every one of us to never take life for granted. Lydia, despite the extreme mental challenges of dealing with the trauma from her crash, isn’t giving up. She is an interesting person and she lives her life with complete devotion.
