Teen airlifted from Chatelheraut Country Park after sledging accident

Jan 7 2010 by Gary Fanning, Hamilton Advertiser

A TEENAGER was airlifted to hospital with a suspected head injury after falling off his sledge at Chatelherault Country Park.

The 18-year-old, who is epileptic, was with a friend when the freak accident happened yesterday (Wednesday) around 3pm.

He was sledging down the hill when he hit a huge block of ice and came off his sledge.

Several police cars and three ambulances raced to the scene after they were alerted to the incident.

A Royal Navy Rescue chopper was then scrambled to the scene and he was taken to hospital about an hour after the accident occurred.

Brain specialist Dr Rita Gilmour-Pangratz, of Connecticut, US, who was visiting Hamilton to attend a funeral, was in the park when she saw the aftermath of the accident.

The clinical neuro-psychologist helped to make sure the boy was okay before paramedics arrived.

She told the Advertiser: “He hit a block of ice and fell off the sledge and on the way down hit his head.

“I saw a group of people around the young man and he was wrapped up and lying flat on the ground.

“I walked passed to see if there was any emergency help or person in authority around.

“I didn’t see anyone so I went over to make sure that the teenager was feeling okay.

“I didn’t want his friend to move him.

“I asked him a few questions. He was moving.

“The pupil in his left eye was slightly bigger than his right eye. He told me at the time that he was very cold. He knew what date it was. He didn’t take a seizure at that time.

“The paramedics arrived and I let them take over.”

Rita then went for a coffee in the park and was shocked to return to see the helicopter called out to take him to hospital.

“It could be that he took a head seizure after I had left him,” she added.

A police spokesman said: “An 18-year-old boy was injured during a sledging accident. He was then taken by air ambulance to Glasgow Southern General Hospital as a precaution, where he is at present detained.”

Rita added: “I hope that the boy is okay and will be out sledging again soon.

“The people who work in the park are extremely helpful and were checking the paths and looking out for people who may have slipped.”

Rita, a former pupil of Larkhall Academy, Machanhill Primary and St John’s Grammar School in Hamilton, returns to America on January 18.

While in Scotland, she was living with her friend Marie McIntrye in Low Waters.

Rita trained as a nurse at Hairmyres Hospital before emigrating to America.

She then trained at the brain and specialist unit at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.