Bicycle Accident

How Florian (15) narrowly avoided ending up in a wheelchair

Mom Jasmine (38), son Florian (15), and Dad Martin (47) Forcher from Micheldorf in Upper Austria want to say a big thank you to all the helpers.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/FOTOKERSCHI.AT, zVg)

In April, Florian Forcher (15) from Micheldorf (Upper Austria) was racing down a forest slope on his downhill bike when he suffered a serious crash: the result was a skull fracture, a brain hemorrhage, and six broken vertebrae. The family now wants to thank a friend who did everything right at the scene, as well as the doctors and nurses at the hospitals.

On April 17 of this year, 15-year-old Florian Forcher was riding his downhill bike through a wooded area down the Georgenberg in Micheldorf, Upper Austria. Pretty fast—as is often the case with young boys. But suddenly, everything happened in a flash. Florian crashed and lay seriously injured on the grass.

His great luck: His friend Moritz was with him. And Moritz knew exactly what to do. “We’re glad he was with our son. He immediately began first aid and called the ambulance. He knows how to do all that because he learned it in the volunteer fire department,” says his father, Martin Forcher (47), gratefully. Because after such serious accidents, those first few minutes are often crucial.

A brutal diagnosis
At Kirchdorf Hospital, the brutal diagnosis: a skull fracture, brain hemorrhage, six vertebral fractures—one of them unstable—and both hands broken. “That was a shock. We arrived in Kirchdorf and were told that the helicopter was already there and that Florian was now being flown to Kepler Hospital in Linz,” his father continues. “But my wife Jasmine and I immediately sensed how skilled and competent all the responders were.”

“Just barely missed ending up in a wheelchair”
No time was wasted; everything went smoothly. In Linz, too, the care was perfect and swift. “According to the surgeon, Florian only just narrowly avoided ending up in a wheelchair—every minute really did count. And that’s why we’re just so grateful for how quickly the doctors and nursing staff worked. That just needs to be said,” say the parents. Today, Florian wears a metal support brace. Despite everything, he’s already looking forward to being able to play sports again. The summer will now show how well everything heals.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Markus Wenzel, stock.adobe.com)

So many guardian angels 
But one thing is already clear: Florian had many guardian angels by his side that day. His friend Moritz, who knew exactly what to do. Emergency responders who were there immediately. And a healthcare system that simply works when it counts.

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“We really do have one of the best healthcare systems in the world. Even if mistakes happen sometimes, we can all count ourselves lucky. We were truly amazed at how everything went, both in Kirchdorf and at the Kepler Clinic in Linz,” says Dad Martin Forcher. Once again, all we can say is: Please, more of this!