Appeal follows Clint’s horrific camping injuries
A fundraising appeal has been established for a Warragul family after an horrific camping accident left Clint Dent with serious injuries.
Clint was on a buck’s weekend camping trip with mates last weekend when a massive gum tree crashed their camp site in the middle of the night, requiring three of the men to be airlifted to Melbourne.
The group was camping at Frenchman’s Camp in Big River.
Clint was one of the men crushed by a massive 30 metre gum tree that fell across a river and onto their campsite.
The appeal has been established to assist Clint, who is self-employed, and his wife Leesa and two young children.
Almost 370 people had donated to the appeal within three days of the go-fund-me campaign being launched by Dhani and Chris Weir. The appeal has raised more than $32,000 of a $50,000 goal.
The go-fund-me page said the group of men had spent the day around the campfire and setting up camp before the tragedy on August “Around midnight the guys were all sitting around in their chairs joking, laughing and enjoying the warmth of the fire when they heard an almighty cracking sound; not the kind of crack you look up to see where it is coming from, but the kind of crack you knew instantly that if you didn’t run you would die,” the go-fund-me page said.
“The guys ran away from the sound, most making it to safety by diving under nearby vehicles. Unfortunately, without knowing, Clint ran in the same direction as the falling tree and was crushed to the ground by the 30 metre ghost gum.
It is believed the tree was 1.5 metres in diameter.
It took his mates and nearby campers some time to cut Clint free, removing him and the others to safety.
With no phone service they had no other option but to drive Clint and the others in three separate vehicles for the 45 minute journey by dirt road to the main road to meet ambulances, which they had contacted when reception had become available.
Clint was transported by ambulance to Marysville oval airlifted to the Alfred Hospital.
Clint suffered extensive injuries, requiring many surgeries and a long road of rehabilitation ahead.
His injuries include a broken spine in three places, a broken jaw and smashed teeth, a broken femur, a shattered tibia and fibula bone which was protruding from his leg, suspected neck injuries and nerve damage to his right arm.
The three injured men, who are now all out of intensive care, suffered 36 broken bones between them, two of them suffering broken backs.
Leesa, and their children Matilda and Bailey have been driving from their Warragul to The Alfred Hospital each day.
It is expected the accident will prevent Clint from working for a lengthy period, adding financial stress to the family.
His rehabilitation will include ongoing physiotherapy appointments and the need to make their home wheelchair friendly.
To donate to the appeal for the Dent family, go to: www.gofundme.com/thedents-need-our-help