A FATHER whose life was narrowly spared after a tree fell on his moving car last August in Tuerong says he’s “overwhelmed with gratitude” towards his rescuers.
Mark Stockwell was driving home on Coolart Rd when a freak storm caused a large tree to crash directly on top of his car. He was trapped for 90 minutes as CFA crews from Hastings, Langwarrin and Dromana, as well as SES, Ambulance Victoria, and Victoria Police tried to free him from the wreckage.
“I don’t really remember much about it. I just recall thinking, ‘I think I’ve been in an accident,’ and I was coming in and out of consciousness,” Stockwell recalled. Remarkably, the Bittern man survived the ordeal after suffering serious injuries.
In an emotional meeting with his first responders on 20 January at Hastings fire station, Stockwell, who was with his wife and soon, took the opportunity to personally thank them for saving his life. “Words can’t express how grateful I am. Every time I’m at home, I think about all these guys, and I tear up,” he said. “I get to be a dad, and I get to be a husband because of them.”
Stockwell is currently on crutches months after the terrifying ordeal and still needs regular physiotherapy and hydrotherapy sessions and won’t be able to drive a car for some months. But after his reunion with emergency responders, he said, “I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for what they’ve done and what they continue to do”. “They have families and could be at home, but instead, they’re out there rescuing people like me. It’s incredible.”
The 54-year-old recalled the first responders trying to keep him awake. “I remember one moment of pain, like waking from a dream, and thinking, ‘I can’t feel my leg, my back is sore, my neck hurts’,” he said. “I saw the airbag and thought, ‘Why’s my airbag out? I must have been in an accident’. That’s pretty much all I remember.”
Hastings CFA member and incident controller Georgia Densley said it was a special moment to witness Stockwell’s recovery. “Everyone on scene played their part, including Mark, who stayed calm under immense pressure, which made our job that much easier,” she said. “Rescues like this one really highlight the strength of teamwork between CFA and our emergency service partners.”
Hastings SES unit controller Dutchy Holland said it was an “extremely rewarding experience” to meet with community members who they have supported in time of need. MICA Paramedic Angus Bowden said, “Being able to reconnect with a patient and see him thrive after such a serious incident is a powerful reminder of why we do what we do. Mark was not only trapped, but appeared to have sustained multiple traumatic injuries.”
First published in the Mornington News – 4 February 2025
