Moe Taikato: 'I heard my legs break'

Moe Taikato wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for the local rescue helicopter who saved his life after a nasty work accident. Photo/John Borren

Moe Taikato was petrified of flying, but as he lay six hours' drive from a major hospital with shattered bones and vital organs failing, there was no option but to let a rescue helicopter fly him to safety. Kiri Gillespie reports.

Moe Taikato vividly recalls hearing both legs snap.

The 65-year-old was crushed between two heavy trucks while working on East Coast roads a year ago. If it was not for Tauranga's Trustpower TECT Rescue Helicopter, Mr Taikato says he wouldn't be alive today.

"I had broken legs, femurs, my back, my ribs, my ribs cracked, my lungs and my liver," he says.

"People tell me 'you're lucky to be alive', and I agree."

Mr Taikato, of Papamoa, has publicly spoken about his ordeal for the first time in an interview with the Bay of Plenty Times.

He was spreading road chipping at the back of a truck near Te Kaha when he unwittingly ended up in the path of a reversing sprayer truck.

It rammed into his truck, pinning Mr Taikato and crushing bones.

"I remember everything. It's pain I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. I actually heard my legs break." Two doctors happened to see the horrific accident. They administered first aid with medic bags they had in their cars, but it wasn't enough. They had to convince Mr Taikato, who had a phobia about flying, that a chopper ride to Tauranga Hospital would save his life.

"I was petrified of flying so I said 'No'."

The doctors told him: "We've got to get you to hospital quickly, otherwise you're not going to make it."

A fresh "zipper"

A road ambulance could have taken up to six hours to get Mr Taikato to Tauranga, compared to the 90 minute-return trip for the Tauranga-based helicopter.

Mr Taikato says by the time the helicopter came he was in so much pain he wanted to get to hospital as fast as possible.

"They were going to lift me off and move me and I thought: 'oh, here goes'. But they were so careful, eh. I couldn't believe it, how careful they were."

Mr Taikato remembers the entire ordeal except for arriving at Tauranga Hospital. He would later be told his heart stopped twice while on the operating table. His two heart attacks led doctors to book him in for a triple bypass at Waikato Hospital. It was done three weeks ago.

Today, a fresh "zipper" runs down the centre of Mr Taikato's chest.

The rest of his scars stretch across his legs and arms.

Despite the metal rods and plates throughout his body, Mr Taikato exercises at the local gym and walks the beach everyday without pain.

"Every day I wake up and it's a bonus."

Mr Taikato plans to attend the Trustpower TECT Rescue Helicopter fundraising open day on Sunday behind Tauranga Hospital. He hopes his story will help the rescue service raise much-needed funds.

They need the funds

"I would see them flying past and think 'yeah, someone's hurt' but not think any more about it. I used to think they were Government-funded, but no.

"It had to take an accident for me to give them any money. I would advise anyone to help them out now because they need the funds. Don't wait to have an accident like me," Mr Taikato says.

"If it wasn't for them I think I'd be dead."

The rescue helicopter costs about $1.2 million a year to operate and rescued more than 100 people in 2011.

Pilot Liam Brettkelly says while the service is grateful for major sponsors TrustPower, TECT and the Port of Tauranga - the latter recently funded a $300,000 winch - it is tough finding money for the helicopter's day-to-day running.

"Who wants to sponsor a tank of petrol in a helicopter? It's not like you can really put a name on it or really get it out there. So it is hard to get that operational funding."

The Trustpower TECT Rescue Helicopter Open Day will be held at its hangar in Clarke Rd, behind Tauranga Hospital from 10am- 2pm on Sunday.