A 10-week-old baby boy has survived a serious car crash and a subsequent medical emergency thanks to a rapid helicopter rescue mission in Queensland. Cooper Pressler-McHugh was involved in a crash in Kalkie, about four hours north of Brisbane, a year ago. His father Sean and mother Demi were also seriously injured.
The family was taken to Bundaberg Hospital. While Cooper's parents remained hospitalized, he was released to his aunt Emma. However, Cooper soon began having seizures and became unresponsive. Doctors found swelling in his brain and determined he needed urgent transport to Queensland Children’s Hospital (QCH), more than 350 kilometers away.
The LifeFlight Brisbane crew, including pediatric doctor Arya James and nurse Katie Allen, flew to Bundaberg to retrieve Cooper. Due to her injuries, Demi could not accompany her son. She had two broken legs and spent 36 days in hospital, while her husband was in an induced coma in intensive care. Cooper's aunt Emma traveled with him in the helicopter.
Dr. James secured Cooper's airway before the flight, and he remained stable during the journey. The crew used their phones to communicate with Emma in the noisy cabin, providing both medical care and emotional support. After just four days at QCH, Cooper was well enough to be driven back to Bundaberg by Emma and her husband.
Now one year old, Cooper is thriving but requires ongoing treatment for a pituitary stalk injury caused by the brain swelling. He will need medication for life. His mother credits LifeFlight with saving his life. The family's business, McHugh Steel, recently raised $10,000 for LifeFlight through a golf fundraising event.
