A builder who suffered catastrophic injuries after falling 20ft from a roof, inspired a local pub to raise £9,000 for charity.
Gary Osborne’s life flashed before his eyes after he had lost his footing and fell onto a hard driveway while working on a property in Ainley Top, Huddersfield, on April 11 last year. As soon as the emergency services came to the house, he was rushed to Leeds Major Trauma Centre at Leeds General infirmary.
The 56-year-old from Scholes, near Holmfirth, suffered a shattered hip, broken pelvis and ribs, damaged internal organs and severe internal bleeding, meaning he needed to go in for an agonising nine-hour operation.
Gary eventually came to terms with his accident but his wife Carol was left at his bedside concerned about what the future may hold. Gary was self-employed and working on his own property so didn’t have insurance in place.
Thankfully, they did not have to worry long as the family received help from charity Day One Trauma Support. Their hospital-based caseworker Marianne Wadsworth gave them vital emotional support and help with practical advice around finances.
Gary Osborne said: “I don’t know what we would have done without Day One by our side. At one stage, I thought I was going to die. The impact on my family was massive, so to have that emotional support for them was vital.
“The counselling helped me massively as I felt like I’d fallen off a cliff emotionally after being positive for so long.”
Day One provided a small grant of £250 to help Carol with travel and parking costs so she could remain by her husband’s side every day. Marianne also supported them with benefits advice and what they would be entitled to once they left hospital.
After 20 days, Gary was transferred to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary to continue his recovery so he was closer to their home. But Day One’s support didn’t stop. Their outreach worker Amanda Booth visited them regularly and continued to be there for them.
Day One Trauma Support outreach worker Amanda Booth, Carol Osborne, Gary Osborne, and landlady Debbie Whiteley at the Boot & Shoe Inn, Scholes, near Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, where regulars helped raise £9,000 for charity.
She arranged specialised counselling sessions for Gary, helped them navigate the daunting process of claiming benefits and provided a further grant towards a single bed for Gary to recover downstairs as he couldn’t walk up stairs.
Gary and Carol were so grateful for the support they received from Day One, that in October 2024 their village pub – the Boot & Shoe Inn – held a harvest fundraiser for the charity – raising an amazing £9,000. The landlady Debbie Whiteley was inspired by Gary’s story and the importance of Day One after her husband Dave had been injured in a motorbike crash 20 years previous but hadn’t received any support beyond the clinical care.
In December, Gary, Carol and Debbie presented the charity with the money so it can help even more people in West Yorkshire who have suffered catastrophic injuries. Carol said: “To have the support from Day One during those first few weeks was so important.
“It was stressful and I cried a lot. But they listened and understood the impact on me too. We were glad to give back through fundraising, knowing the money will help other people.”
Kirsty Christmas, fundraising manager at Day One Trauma Support, said: “We’re so grateful to Gary and Carol for giving back to Day One and for inspiring Debbie and everyone at the Boot & Shoe Inn to fundraise so we can support more people when they need it most.
“We’re pleased we could play a part in their recovery journey and it’s fantastic to see Gary’s progression from hospital bed to walking again. He’s an inspiration to us all.”
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