A Braintree father is expressing gratitude to the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance this Father’s Day, a day he would not have lived to see without the lifesaving intervention of the air ambulance crew.
Lifesaving Response
Daniel Goodall, 31, is urging the public to support the charity to keep its helicopters operational, ensuring others receive critical help when needed. In October 2022, Daniel’s car left the road and struck a tree. The Essex & Herts Air Ambulance team quickly assessed he had a traumatic brain injury. They performed an emergency anaesthetic at the scene to stabilise him before transporting him to the Royal London Hospital.
Long Road to Recovery
Due to the severity of his injuries, Daniel was placed in an induced coma and spent two months in intensive care. His family held onto hope as the medical team closely monitored his condition. He also battled a collapsed lung and sepsis, but each step of recovery felt like a small victory. After months of intensive care, Daniel had to relearn walking and speaking. It took months before he could go home, but the most significant moment came one year after the accident when his son Henry was born.
A Father's Gratitude
Daniel commented: "It’s so important for me to say thank you. Without their quick response, I wouldn’t be here today, and I wouldn’t have the chance to be a dad. I think of that every Father’s Day I get to spend with my son. Being here to watch Henry grow is something I didn’t think would happen. Every day with him feels like a second chance, and I can’t thank everyone enough—my family, the medical teams, and everyone who’s helped me along the way."
Focus on Brain Injuries
Brain injuries like Daniel’s are a key focus for the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance, which invests in research, innovation, and education through its Centre for Excellence. This includes new equipment like pupillometers, handheld devices that give instant, objective readings of pupil response to light, aiding roadside decision-making.
Laurie Phillipson, clinical academic fellow and critical care paramedic with over 20 years of experience, said: "Stories like Daniel’s are what get us up and on shift every day. What happens in those first few moments at the roadside can make all the difference to a patient’s long-term outcomes. We are constantly looking at how we can improve care for patients who suffer head injuries."
Alice Kershberg, patient and family liaison team lead, added: "Helping Daniel and his family get to this point where he can celebrate with his son means so much. As the patient and family liaison team, we pick up after the crew have done their job at the roadside—whether sitting with a patient in rehab or arranging a visit to the base so a patient can meet the crew and fill gaps in their memory. Our focus is on being there for people on that long road to recovery."
To learn more about the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance or to donate, visit ehaat.org.
