A PENSIONER from Bewdley has made a pledge to show his gratitude to the lifesaving air ambulance charity that saved his life after he fell from a ladder at home and punctured a lung.
Mike Lewis knows all too well the vital role that the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity can play in life-or-death emergencies after falling from a set of ladders three years ago.
The 78-year-old broke all the ribs down his left side which resulted in him sustaining a life-threatening injury, a punctured lung.
Mike said: "I vaguely remember asking my wife, Andrea, if anybody was coming and within minutes, I heard the noise of a helicopter in the distance.
“The next thing I knew I saw the red trousers of the critical care paramedics walking towards me.”
Mike needed urgent treatment, and the critical care team on board the Midlands Air Ambulance’s Strensham aircraft transported him to the most appropriate trauma centre for his injuries, Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
“I was in so much pain and struggling to breathe with the punctured lung," said Mike. "I know that without Midlands Air Ambulance Charity coming to my rescue on the day of my accident that I simply would not be here. They saved my life.”
Since the fall, Mike and his wife-of-54-years Andrea have done all they can to fundraise and support the helicopter emergency medical service that he dearly owes his life too.
Mike has now made a pledge to leave the charity a gift in his will.
Mike said: “I brought the subject up with Andrea and discussed how I wanted to leave a gift in my will.
"It’s not much but it’s one of the many ways in which I can continue supporting the charity that saved my life, even after I’m gone.”
With four in 10 lifesaving missions funded by a gift in a will, legacy giving is crucially important to Midlands Air Ambulance Charity’s continued operations.
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Emma Gray, fundraising and marketing director for the charity, said: “Legacy donations like Mike’s really help boost our income generation and help make future missions possible.
“We have a range of services available to those considering leaving a gift in their will, including a free will-writing scheme with a number of fully vetted solicitors based in the counties we serve signed up to offer the service in partnership with us.
"There is also an online free will-writing scheme available to take advantage of.”
Anyone interested in leaving a gift in their will to the Midlands Air Ambulance can email louise.davies@midlandsairambulance.com or visit midlandsairambulance.com/gifts-in-wills to find out more.
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