Cyclist facing a life changed forever, says friend

David Keys and grandson Lucas.

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".

The Waihi weed-sprayer was riding his bike on Wednesday last week when he hit an unmarked 75cm-deep sinkhole in Morgan Park.

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 might 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 all been busy visiting their brother in 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."

Hauraki District Council chief executive Langley Cavers revealed there had been several previous incidents 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."

Nobody had been injured in previous incidents, he said.

*You can help donate to David Keys at his Givealittle page here.