Heartbreak for twin brother who fears his sibling may never walk again after both were seriously injured in near-tragic work accident

A heartbroken teenager fears his twin brother may never walk again after they were both injured in a workplace accident in north-east Queensland.

Ethan and Christian Desborough, 18, were a week into their new job when steel beams weighing 2.5 tonnes fell during transport on September 18.

Ethan bore the brunt of the tragedy at a business in the Mackay suburb of Paget, leaving him with massive injuries including permanent damage to his spine.

Christian saw it happen and was also hit, with one of his legs ‘crushed by two beams’. He was lucky because there were no fractures, but he was badly bruised.

He said Ethan is “lucky to be alive” after seven steel beams fell on him. “The doctor told us he has very little to no chance of ever walking again,” Christian told the newspaper Courier mail.

Christian (pictured) saw it happen and was also hit, with one of his legs ‘crushed by two beams’ – he was lucky as there were no fractures, but he was badly bruised

The twins were initially taken to Mackay Base Hospital, but Ethan’s injuries were so serious – he is paralyzed from the knees down – that he was flown to Townsville for treatment.

Once Ethan’s care there is completed with surgery, he will likely be taken to Brisbane for therapy and rehabilitation.

But for now, the twins’ parents, Ryan and Makisha, have moved to Townsville to be with their stricken son.

The incident occurred on Monday, September 18 at a Paget business and a GoFundMe has been started to help the family as they face the unknown.

Mrs Desborough did that set up a GoFundMe page to raise some money to help with their costs while they care for Ethan in the hospital.

“I was going to start a new job but have now had to postpone it and my husband has had to take a leave of absence,” she wrote on the fundraising page, which had already received more than $7,000 in donations as of Thursday afternoon.

“We have no idea how long we will be in Townsville after his operation. No matter how long we stay there, we will need shelter and supplies.”

She said the family is grateful Ethan is alive, while Christian said his brother “is a brave little guy, he’s been positive the whole time.”

The twins are very close to each other. “I haven’t been able to sleep the last few nights after seeing him get crushed,” Christian said.

“I keep seeing it lying there and I keep hearing the metal crashing to the ground.”

His father said that over the past three days a… ’emotional roller coaster’ and the family ‘is running empty’ but ‘staying strong’ for their son and brother.

‘Ethan just turned 18 and doesn’t deserve this. He has a great future ahead of him, this is just not fair,” Ms Desborough wrote on the GoFundMe site.

The parents praised their sons’ employer, who had been very helpful, they said.

Ethan Desborough (pictured) is paralyzed from the knees down and may never walk again

READ MORE: New details emerge after 16-year-old boy killed in horror crash when ute veers off road

The driver of a car that veered off the road and crashed into a tree, killing his 16-year-old friend, is said to have no driver’s license.

Ryan Berry, 16, was on his way to the gym with two friends when the car he was a passenger in crashed at a roundabout in Perth’s coastal suburb of Yanchep about 9.40pm on Tuesday.

Security camera footage captured the moment the Holden Crewman approached the intersection of Beach Road and Parkland Drive, with residents claiming to have heard a car turning before the crash.

Police are pictured at the scene of the crash at the intersection of Beach Road and Parkland Drive