Aaron is lucky to be alive after horror smash

Aaron Wilson, of Primrose Crescent, was driving home from Gulliver’s Truck Hire, where he works as a mechanic, on January 16 when his Fiesta was hit by a Renault at the junction of A725/North Road.

Mr Wilson said: “I was driving home from my work in Shawhead. I came on to North Road and as I turned the corner there was a car on the wrong side of the road. As soon as I saw him I stood on the brakes, but it was too late.

“For 30 seconds it was just darkness, it was quite scary, then I noticed my car was smoking so I was screaming for help to get out.

“I tried to get out, but I didn’t realise how badly hurt I was, so a man and a woman grabbed me, pulled me out and laid me down until the emergency services arrived.”

The 21-year-old suffered severe injuries to his right leg including a broken femur and four breaks below the knee with caused a major artery to be cut.

Mr Wilson also broke a finger, strained his wrist and developed an infection due to bruised lungs which caused his oxygen levels to be unsteady for over a week.

He spent a week at Wishaw General and then a further week at Glasgow Royal where an expert carried out surgery on his leg.

He said: “The first night I was in hospital there was a bit of doubt as to whether I would make it or not due to my oxygen levels.

“My legs were a mess, the bone was sticking out of my shin and I was told if the thigh break had been any worse it would have cut a major artery, just as one of the lower breaks did, and I’d have bled out in three minutes. So I’m pretty lucky to be alive.”

Mr Wilson now faces 10 weeks in an Ilizarov apparatus to treat his lower leg and 9-12 months for a full recovery.

He said: “I started at Gulliver’s only two months ago, but thankfully they are holding the job for me and I hope to go back part-time in six months.”

A 79-year-old man has been reported to the Procurator Fiscal is relation to the incident.

Mr Wilson said: “I don’t wish him any particular ill-will, but it is annoying knowing he is out there still driving about and I’m stuck like this.”