A Queensland father remains in hospital three weeks after being knocked unconscious by a whale in a freak accident while fishing.
Jordan Mainstone was fishing with a friend off Duranbah near the NSW-Queensland border when the whale breached next to him just before 9am on August 18.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Gold Coast father remains in hospital three weeks after whale strike
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The whale struck the father-of-three in the face, knocking him unconscious, before the boat’s skipper and Mainstone’s friend Jamie French came to his aid.
Other locals who saw the incident, including passing jet skiers, came to their aid and alerted emergency services.
He was rushed to Gold Coast University Hospital, where he remains, with a serious brain injury.
Mainstone’s wife Rebecca told 7NEWS of she “thought it was a joke” when she first got the call from French.
“I thought it was a joke, until I heard the panic in his voice,” she said.
Her husband spent six days in an induced coma, before continuing intense treatment for a traumatic brain injury.
Doctors have since diagnosed Mainstone with post-traumatic amnesia — a state of confusion that can occur immediately following a traumatic brain injury.
Rebecca said that it could take months or years for her husband to recover.
“I was under the illusion that I would have my husband back within a week or two, and the boys would have their dad home,” she said.
Beginning the long road to recovery, Rebecca said Mainstone remains confused, disorientated and “doesn’t remember”.
“Until we get him emerging from that, we don’t know the extent of his brain injury,” she said.
“We’re trying to get him into a brain injury rehab facility so he has the best possible chance.”
The local Gold Coast community has rallied behind the family, with a GoFundMe set up to support with financial costs.
“Each day is a new day, some days we see improvements, most days are filled with lots of ups and downs,” Rebecca said.
“We are so grateful for the ongoing support, love and help.”
