Young boy fighting for his life after horror quad bike crash in Bali is given a mercy flight back to Australia
A young Australian boy who fought for his life after a horror quad bike crash in Bali has been given a mercy flight back to Perth.
Eight-year-old Joshua Schuetz was flown from Bali to Perth on Friday evening after being left in an induced coma following the crash in Ubud, southeast of Bali.
Joshua was a passenger on the bike, driven by his teenage brother Luca, when it veered off a narrow path and crashed on Wednesday.
The eight-year-old was thrown from the bicycle into the water and suffered serious injuries, including a skull fracture and bleeding on the brain.
He was rushed to Denpasar Hospital, where doctors performed emergency surgery.
Joshua will now continue his treatment at Perth Children’s Hospital.
Family friend Bernice Ariasa said Luca had shown “superhuman strength” when he rescued his young brother from under the quad bike.
Joshua Schuetz (photo) fell into an induced coma after the terrible quad accident
The eight-year-old was flown from Bali to Perth on a mercy flight on Friday evening (photo)
Joshua (pictured) was due to take part in a football tournament in Bali with his team, the Cockburn Wolves Futsal Club, a local team based in Perth, on Saturday.
“Joshy was strapped under the bike with a harness as he secured it to the bike and in the water,” Ms Ariasa said.
“Lucas [Joshua’s older brother]…pulled him out of the water with some kind of superhuman strength.’
Joshua was due to take part in a football tournament in Bali with his team, the Cockburn Wolves Futsal Club in Perth, on Saturday.
The club has rallied behind Joshua and his family and the Byford Futsal League is organizing a fundraising tournament in the little boy’s honour.
The ‘Joshy Cup’ will be held in Byford in Perth’s south-east on December 21.
Ms. Ariasa has since had a GoFundMe page to help the family cover the costs of medical bills, raising $100,000 of the $150,000 goal.
Joshua’s parents were forced to pay $20,000 on the spot so doctors could care for their son, and a $10,000 down payment for a blood transfusion.
The family’s insurance covered the costs of the emergency flight, but not other medical costs.
