A 10-year-old boy has beaten all the odds by making a miracle recovery after being hit by a four-wheel-drive travelling at 90km/h.
Sebastian Gobbett had to learn to walk and talk again after he was struck by the vehicle then dragged underneath it while riding his bike in the town of Toodyay, 85km northeast of Perth, in August 2021.
Although Sebastian was wearing a helmet, he suffered massive injuries including a traumatic brain injury, a ruptured lung and fractures in his neck and spine.
Sebastian’s mum Olivia was first on the scene and the former emergency nurse immediately knew how critical time was.
He was flown to Perth by emergency helicopter and his heart stopped during the flight.
His family feared the worst, his mother Olivia told 7NEWS: ‘I was already planning his funeral. I did already know where I was going to have him buried.’
Sebastian spent four months in hospital including three weeks on life support.
The prognosis was not good, with doctors doubting if he would be able to swallow or eat unaided, or even walk and talk again.
His parents never gave up hope and his mum knew he would recover quicker at home with his family.
‘He needed hospital and he got the best care that he could possibly get there but I knew that we needed to get home and we needed to do (the recovery) our way to get him better,’ Mrs Gobbett said.
Sebastian was discharged and was home for Christmas.
Mrs Gobbett formulated a care plan, including playing his favourite song and focusing on the senses of touch and taste.
She said Sebastian saw the other children eating watermelon and his eyes lit up, so she gave him some through his feeding tube.
Then the miracle occurred – Sebastian’s toes moved. ‘Just the slightest movement’, Mrs Gobbett said.
Sebastian’s father Simon said, ‘That was a huge celebration in the family… we were all cheering and laughing and clapping… and he noticed, he knew.’
Though his progress was slow, Sebastian, now 12, has made a stunning recovery and has learned to walk and talk and even ride his bike again.
Sebastian has no memory of his horrific accident, and says the hardest thing about his recovery was learning to walk.
He said the best thing is, ‘I’m alive so I could meet my annoying brothers and sisters.’