Sister flies to America to see her brother after he suffers horrific injuries in freak accident

Dad-of-two Alex Brown staggered from the wreckage of his Subaru hatchback after a head-on crash with another vehicle during a blizzard in Wichita, Kansas.

Seconds later, he was struck by his own car when another vehicle smashed into the back of it, sending him flying.

Mr Brown, 37, formerly of Belvedere Road, Thornton, suffered horrific injuries, including a broken back, multiple fractures, shattered teeth and a crushed pelvis.

He also lost a kidney and damaged the other and will need a transplant in the months to come and needs dialysis several times a week.

The accident happened as Mr Brown was taking his two children back to his estranged wife after celebrating thanks-giving with them.

On the day of the accident, the state was experiencing some of its worst winter weather for years, including freezing conditions and blizzards.

The youngsters – son Parker, seven, and daughter Sammy, eight – were left with minor injuries.

However, Sammy was left traumatised after seeing her father mowed down and watched helpless as medics fought to save his life at the roadside.Mr Brown’s life was saved by two off-

duty doctors who happened to be driving the same route on November 25.

Today his sister Nicole Konig-Brown, who runs a cleaning company in Thornton, said: “We have all been left devastated by what has happened to Alex.

“He is a wonderful brother and a lovely man. His children are everything to him – that’s why he lives in the SDStates, to be able to see them regularly.

“He works as a long-distance haulage driver for a brewery supplies company in Kansas.

“He will need extensive physiotherapy and other treatment once he leaves hospital and we are appealing for people to help us raise the money to allow him to recover properly.

“His injuries have been described as ‘life-changing and ‘life-limiting’. He will never be the same again and we are worried sick about him.”

“We feel so helpless, being so far away. I am flying out on Boxing Day to see him in hospital and I cannot wait.

“I’ve spoken to him on the phone, but he is on so much medication for his pain that he couldn’t speak to me properly.

“Thankfully, he has amazing friends in America who are with him round-the-clock. Any donation will go towards ensuring the bills are paid so he doesn’t lose his home. It is hard being away, we feel so helpless.

“I appreciate that at this time of year people don’t have a lot to spare, but you never see anything like this happening, especially at Christmas time. The cost of healthcare in America is such that Alex will need extra help with the months and years of recovery which he has ahead of him.

“He was so lucky the doctors were at the scene. There is no doubt they pulled him back from the brink of certain death and we will always be eternally grateful for what they did for Alex .”

Mr Brown’s parents, Chris, 72, and Monika, 69, of Balmoral Place, Thornton, are unable to fly out because Monika has recently had surgery herself.

Mr Brown was employed atFleetwood’s Freeport, now Affinity Lancashire, where he worked asmanager of Menswear shop Ciro Citterio.