A Victorian father-of-two is facing an uncertain future after a workplace accident left him seriously injured and bedridden.
Self-employed pump and irrigation specialist Tyson Purcell was working at a farm in Illowa, Warrnambool on January 31 when the accident occurred.
The 32-year-old was in the process of hooking up his harness on top of a water tank when he took a wrong step and fell 2.5m onto the concrete below, landing on the back of his head.
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Purcell sustained multiple injuries including a fractured skull, two brain bleeds and a gash on his left thigh.
He also injured his foramen magnum, which is the opening in the base of the skull where the spinal cord connects to the brain.
After being treated locally, Purcell was then flown The Alfred Hospital where he remained for several days.
Now discharged, the father-of-two faces three months of bed rest as he recovers.
Doctors hope the brain bleeds and fractures will heal over this time, with the likelihood he will need rehabilitation in the future.
Purcell has also been told he has an increased risk of a stroke or seizure due to the brain bleeds he still has.
His fiancee Jess Evans has taken time off work, however, she has exhausted all her leave — meaning the family has lost two sources of income.
“They’ve just found themselves in a bit of a tough predicament at the minute,” the couple’s friend Mel Howley told 7NEWS.com.au.
Howley said Purcell has limited movement and any sort of movement is “extremely laboured”.
“It’s a long road,” she said.
“He’s been told three months but who knows, honestly, how long he may not be able to work for or drive.”
Evans, who is a disability support worker, is now looking after her partner as well as their two children, Jackson, 10 and Stella, 8.
“(Jess) is taking on … all (the) house duties, running around after the kids … getting (Purcell) to and from appointments and working out who’s picking the kids up and all these sorts of things,” Howley said.
“So Jess has really taken on a lot. She’s been amazing through it all, but she’s exhausted.”
While the family are handling the situation as well as can be expected, Howley said an overwhelming fear remains about what could happen in the future.
“It’s impacting (Evans) a lot,” she said.
“Just the constant fear of knowing that (Purcell is) at a higher risk of all of these things that could happen.”
Howley described the couple as “beyond generous” people who are always the first to put their hands up to help others.
To assist with ongoing medical bills, Howley has set up a fundraiser for the family.
Speaking to 7NEWS.com.au, Evans thanked family, friends and even complete strangers who had donated.
“Health is our number one priority right now, so it’s nice to know that the kindness of others means that, as a family, we can focus on healing without the burden of stressing about how we will pay for all future medical appointments,” she said.
Howley said the fundraiser response speaks volumes about the kind of people Purcell and Evans are.
“I just think it really shows that the community is so willing to get involved and give back,” she said.
