My hero son saved my life after brain tumour crash
A SINGLE dad who crashed his car because of a brain tumour has praised his ‘hero’ son for saving his life.
Gary Fordham was driving on the M6 with 11-year-old Hayden when he blacked out from a seizure.
The car veered off the carriageway, flipped on its side and landed facing oncoming traffic.
Hayden, in the passenger seat, was trapped under Gary but managed to find his father’s phone in the footwell.
The youngster dialled 999 while other road-users stopped and used a saw to open a window, setting Hayden and his pet dog Buster free.
Gary, a chemical dosing engineer, was removed from the van a short time later by the fire service and was rushed to hospital. He had only minor injuries, but tests identified the previously undiagnosed tumour in his brain.
The tumour had caused the seizure and ultimately the crash, he was told.
Gary, 43, said: ‘It took a few days for it to really sink in. My main concern, as a single parent, was I didn’t want Hayden to lose his dad.’
He added: ‘I’m indebted to Hayden for making that 999 call. The things he has dealt with make him an absolute hero and I couldn’t be prouder.’
Since the crash, on December 31, 2018, Gary has faced a long health struggle. After surgery for his tumour he was diagnosed with a bone flap infection. A second operation removed part of his skull and he is still awaiting surgery. Brave Gary, of Bradford, said he and Hayden, now 13, are ‘forever grateful’ to the people who helped on the M6.
They have launched a public appeal in the hope that they can find them and thank them in person.
Hayden has also set up a fundraising page for Brain Tumour Research.
Gary said: ‘Without Hayden, I’d have struggled so much. I’m so proud of the team that we’ve become.’