The family of a young man who became trapped under five feet of sand at a popular beach faces an “incredibly challenging journey” as he continues to fight for his life.
Josh Taylor, 25, was left without a pulse for 45 minutes after the horrific incident on Bribie Island on Saturday afternoon. It took fifteen men to finally free him from the sandbox.
His friends and family took turns providing CPR until he was flown to Brisbane's Princess Alexandra Hospital.
He remains in critical but stable condition as of Tuesday afternoon.
a GoFundMe campaign launched on Tuesday and had raised $15,000 in the first three hours.
Josh Taylor (right) fell into a hole dug to cook a pig on Bribie Island
More than a dozen men, including paramedics and Mr Taylor's friends, worked to get him out of the hole
The fundraiser is trying to raise $60,000 to help the Taylor family cover medical costs.
“We come to you today with heavy hearts asking for support for the Taylor family,” fundraiser organizer Georgia Hoffman wrote.
“The unimaginable happened to their beloved son Josh, a vibrant and adventurous soul who brought so much joy to those around him.
'Recently Josh suffered a tragic accident on Bribie Island which left him in critical condition.
“His family now faces an incredibly challenging journey.”
Mrs Hoffman said any donation would allow the Taylor family to dedicate themselves to helping him.
“The Taylor family needs to focus completely on Josh,” she said.
'In this time of heartache and uncertainty, we have the power to make a meaningful difference.
'Your contribution, no matter how large, will help them enormously.
“It will allow them to prioritize his care without the added external stress and let them focus on what really matters: Josh.”
As donations continue to pour in, some people are leaving messages for Josh and his parents, Belinda and Peter Taylor.
“We are thinking of your family at this terribly difficult time,” the Adler family wrote after donating money to the campaign.
Queensland paramedics and a RACQ Lifeflight rescue helicopter crew were called to take Mr Taylor to hospital
Mr Taylor remains in a critical condition after being buried alive
Messages of support have also been shared on social media, hoping for the young man's recovery as he enters his third day in intensive care.
“Prayers for you and the family, you will get through this my husband,” a friend wrote on Facebook.
“Thoughts are with you Joshy,” wrote another. Wests Brisbane Junior Rugby League Club shared a message from the Taylor family with their members, asking for prayers to help Josh 'get through it'.
“I have very sad news that the man buried in Bribie is Squizzy's son Josh,” the post said.
“We are all devastated and praying for him.”
A witness who assisted in Mr Taylor's rescue was told that the group had dug the sandpit to cook a pig, similar to the traditional Maori cooking style of hangi.
A witness said Mr Taylor got up from his chair, lost his balance and tripped into the 1.5 meter hole, causing the walls of the pit to fall on him.
A beachgoer named Nathan was leaving with his family when a group of men screamed for help to rescue their friend from under the sand.
In the photo: emergency services at the scene of the tragedy on Saturday
QAS paramedic Peter Batt attended the scene on Bribie Island on December 2
Josh Taylor's family remain by his side at Brisbane's Princess Alexandra Hospital
When he arrived at the scene, Mr Taylor's family and friends were desperately digging to get him out.
“I realized someone had their head in a hole and I was just digging, digging, digging,” he said.
“When I first went to the hole, I couldn't even see his foot. It was that deep.”
He told NCA NewsWire that more than 15 people were digging in the sand to get the man out before paramedics and rangers arrived.
'His whole family was shouting at us, telling us to help, to get a rope so we could pull him out. It was pretty horrific,” Nathan said.
“There were about fifteen guys pulling the rope and he wouldn't budge.”
After some time of pulling and digging, Mr. Taylor finally burst through the sand surface, but the force of the pull caused further injuries, Nathan said.
'It was quite intense when he jumped out. “I threw up,” he said.
'He broke. The suction, the power of everyone who pulls.'
When they pulled him out, Mr. Taylor had no pulse and the rangers began CPR.
Rangers in the area also installed a defibrillator before paramedics arrived.
It is understood it took 45 minutes for the man's pulse to return.