A teenage motorcyclist’s incredible story of survival after he crashed into trees at high speed in bushes – before his genius saved him
- Shaun Spinks saved his own life after hitting a tree 140km/h
- Paramedics praised the teen’s foresight to create a makeshift tourniquet
- The 14-year-old has had several surgeries since the crash
A brave teenager escaped death by using his phone’s advanced features after a freak motorcycle accident left him seriously injured and left all alone.
Shaun Spinks, 14, saved his own life after being sent off his motorcycle and into a tree on a remote track in Bonongin, 90km north of Brisbane, after hitting a rock at 140km/hr.
Mr. Sinks, who was knocked unconscious by the impact, awoke to find his phone shattered and a deep cut on his leg, which he treated with a makeshift tourniquet.
He then crawled to his phone and contacted his father and emergency services by cleverly activating Siri with his broken iPhone.
In eerie GoPro footage, Mr. Spinks’ motorcycle is launched into the air before crashing into a log, sending its rider off.
“The bars started shaking and then I hit another rock which sent me flying through the air into a tree,” Mr Spinks told the Geelong Advertiser on Friday.
“I must have blacked out. The bike was about 25 meters behind me with my phone, and my leg was just on my chest.”
Shaun Spinks, 14, hit a rock while gong 90 mph on his motorcycle in the bush
The teenager made a makeshift tourniquet to stem the heavy bleeding from his leg as he waited for paramedics
Paramedics, who had to use a 4WD vehicle to reach Mr. Spinks on the remote track, said he would have died without the teens’ quick thinking.
Mr. Spinks took off his shirt and used it to make a makeshift tourniquet to keep the blood from pouring out of the cut on his leg.
His phone had been flung nearly 20 feet behind him, forcing the critically injured teen to crawl over to call for help.
“I didn’t think I was going to make it when I saw the hole,” he said of his injuries.
“I took off my pants and top, wrapped them around [the wound] and tightened it as hard as possible.
“I just had to hope it worked, otherwise I’d just have to pray and hopefully my dad would come and save me.”
Paramedics said Mr Spinks saved his own life by quickly treating the wounds and calling for help (the teen is pictured in hospital, where he underwent several surgeries)
The impact sent Mr Spinks’ shattered iPhone (pictured) flying nearly 20 meters behind him, forcing the critically injured teen to crawl over so he could call for help
Since the accident, Mr. Spinks has suffered numerous operations on his leg and pelvis, and recovering from several rib fractures.
Despite being wheelchair bound during his recovery, the enthusiastic rider said he is determined to return to his beloved dirt bikes as soon as possible.
Marissa Kukulies, one of the paramedics who treated the teen, said the turnstile and Siri’s use to call triple zero were critical to his survival.
“Shaun really saved his own life and we just got him to the hospital. I think he’d make a great paramedic — I’d be his reference,” she said.