Brisbane boy Rowan Gillam goes blind after horror motorbike crash in Brisbane

A young boy was left completely blind after he was thrown 15metres from his motorbike in a horror crash that nearly claimed his life.

Jill and John Gillam kitted out their seven-year-old son Rowan, in full safety gear for his first motocross race in Brisbane in 2020.

But tragedy struck when Rowan, the first of 20 riders to start, lost control on a bend on the track at the Fort Lytton Motocross Club and was found lying motionless in a dry creek bed.

The injuries were so severe Rowan had to have part of his skull removed to reduce the pressure on his brain, with the seven-year-old spending nearly two weeks in a coma. 

Rowan, now nine, also suffered a stroke, with the injuries leading to his loss of eyesight.

Despite Rowan’s life being changed forever, his parents have said he has taken it all in his stride – and even has his sights on being in the Paralympics. 

Looking back on the terrifying crash, Ms Gillam recalled seeing the crowd run over to a rider, unaware it was Rowan.

‘I ran over when I saw other men running, I thought “that’s a bit odd, I can’t see Rowan, I can’t see him riding”,’ Ms Gillam told Daily Mail Australia.

‘He was unconscious, out cold.’ 

Frantic onlookers called an ambulance as his panicked parents watched on in horror, with Rowan rushed to the Queensland Children’s Hospital.

‘Rowan had all the safety gear possible, we spent $500 on the best helmet, it was like a treat – he got everything brand new before the race, the helmet, elbow pads, knee pads, neck protection,’ Ms Gillam said.

His motorbike was checked and found to have no faults, and Rowan had ridden the track twice a week with his dad since he was five. 

Rowan was placed into a coma while still inside in the ambulance after paramedics realised the boy had swelling on his brain. 

For the next few days a machine measured the pressure in his brain and ‘it didn’t look good,’ his mother said. 

‘The pressure kept going up and up and up. Then it spiked and that’s when he had a stroke,’ Ms Gillam said.

Rowan also suffered a staph infection in his brain because he needed part of his skull removed to release the pressure.

For seven terrifying days the Gilliams thought their boy may die.

It took him a month to fully come out of a coma and as his shattered parents waited, they were told he could wake as ‘a vegetable, be unable to eat, or go blind’. 

When he was finally able to start talking again, Roman told his parents he couldn’t see the television.

Tragically the swelling blocked blood supply to the part of his brain that controls vision – the occipital lobes – and he went totally blind. 

Rowan slowly began to improve with music therapy ran by the Starlight Foundation. 

Slowly he got out of bed and would dance holding hands with his mum. His favourite song was ‘Baby’ by Justin Bieber.

Soon Rowan was ‘laughing and joking’, returning to his old self.

‘It was remarkable,’ Ms Gilliam said.

Rowan wanted to be active despite having to wear a helmet that protected his brain. He eventually had a prosthetic implanted where part of his skull had been removed.

The seven-year-old was even up kicking soccer balls with the rehab team – despite having no vision at all.

Rowan, now nine, has refused to let his injuries define his life, and loves to exercise.

‘He’s had this new lease of life, he does a lot of things he might not have done before,’ Ms Gillam said.

‘He loves to dance and has lost all his inhibition. He says “c’mon mum look at me!”

‘His memory is really good too – he loves learning French and speaks to us in French. He’s learned braille in a year and goes to the gym twice a week.’

Rowan also plays soccer with the ball containing a bell so he knows where it is.

He is determined to become a paralympian one day.

‘He’s very very lovely, and thinks of others too and likes other children,’ Ms Gillam said.

‘Some people might come out of an experience like he had really angry, but he’s not, he’s really happy positive, like a perfect kid.’