LOYAL COMPANION: Amber Keys with 2-year-old hunting dog Bailey, who stayed with injured cyclist David Keys through the night after his bike struck a sinkhole.PHOTO/ANDREW WARNER
LOYAL COMPANION: Amber Keys with 2-year-old hunting dog Bailey, who stayed with injured cyclist David Keys through the night after his bike struck a sinkhole.PHOTO/ANDREW WARNER
Paralysed cyclist David Keys has resigned himself to the fact life as he knew it has ended, days after crashing his bike into a sinkhole in Waihi.
The 52-year-old has been told by doctors "there is every indication the injury will be permanent".
When this sort of traumatic accident happens, it drops into your life like a bombshell and the implications go far and wide.
Having hit the ground and broken his neck, he lay for seven hours with his dog barking for help beside him, before being found about 4.15am the next day.
A family friend, who did not want to be named, said the keen bushman was now coming to grips with the devastating realisation he may never again head into the bush.
"David is slowly coming to terms with the implication of the injury. It will be particularly hard on him because he was such an active outdoors guy. He loved the bush and it's going to be difficult for him to come to terms with it," he said.
"When he was first admitted to hospital, he said, 'At least I'm not dead'. But now he's realising the gravity of the situation on his life from now on."
Mr Keys' siblings, Ian, Charlie and Fiona, had been busy visiting him at Middlemore Hospital, the family friend said.
"When this sort of traumatic accident happens, it drops into your life like a bombshell and the implications go far and wide.
"But they're bearing up. They're a supportive family of each other.
"Ian said, as a family, their lives would never be the same."
David Keys. Fell into a tomo at Waihi's Morgan Park. Photo/supplied
Hauraki District Council chief executive Langley Cavers refuted allegations that it was not taking the matter seriously.
"We got on to it straight away," Mr Cavers said. "As soon as we were aware of the incident, the hole was cordoned off to prevent any further risk."
He said the hole had not been disturbed, "in accordance with the family's wishes".
"We are looking at what might have caused the sinkhole, or tomo, and that requires excavation of it. At the family's request, we haven't started with that yet."
He said there had been several instances of ground slumps over the years in Morgan Park.
"I think there has been a series of holes. They've all been within about a 100-metre radius of that area - every two or three years one will pop its head up."
