Masterton man Blake Anderson crushed by tractor loses arm, fractures skull, neck: Family fundraises for ‘lovely young man’

Blake Anderson, of Masterton, was crushed by a tractor on Monday. Photo / Supplied

• Blake Anderson had his arm amputated after being crushed by a tractor in Carterton.
• His aunt, Michele Hood, set up a fundraiser for his parents' accommodation and food expenses.
• Anderson is stabilised and talking but remains in a serious condition at Wellington Hospital.

A Masterton man crushed by a tractor has had his arm amputated and is suffering from a serious skull and neck fracture in hospital.

Blake Anderson was flown by helicopter to Wellington Hospital after getting trapped under the tractor in Carterton on Monday morning.

“Life changed for Blake and his family,” his aunt said of the incident.

Anderson’s parents were by his bedside in hospital but were struggling to afford food and accommodation while they stayed in a motel nearby.

Blake Anderson, of Masterton, was crushed by a tractor on Monday. Photo / Supplied

Anderson’s aunt, Michele Hood, has set up a fundraiser to support his parents. As of today, the Givealittle page had raised just over $8000.

“Blake is a robust and lovely, quiet young man who has his life going for him,” Hood said.

“He is a dedicated son, nephew, grandson, brother and much loved and needed part of his community and his friends' lives.”

Yesterday, Hood gave an update on Anderson’s condition, saying he was talking and making jokes.

“He has a lot of medication onboard so is a bit away with the fairies,” she said.

“He was heading back into surgery this morning as he has a small infection in the arm stump they left on the limb he lost. He had an MRI yesterday afternoon.”

She said his condition was still serious, but he had stabilised.

“We have seen a photo in the family chat with him giving us the thumbs-up.”

Masterton fire station officer Richard King said crews from the area received an alert about a person trapped in machinery on Te Kopi Rd shortly before 11am.

Fire and Emergency sent a rescue crew from Masterton, one from Carterton and two support appliances, arriving at the rural Carterton property at 11.05am.

“We assisted paramedics to remove the patient from the farm machinery,” King said.

King said the person was freed from the machinery by 11.23am and transported to hospital.

“We got him out as quick as possible.”

A Wellington Free Ambulance spokesperson said they attended the incident, which had “one patient in a serious condition transported to Wellington Hospital via helicopter”.

Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.

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