Crash survivor tells his story

Reuben Connor thought it was ``all over' as an out-of-control truck hurtled towards him. All he could think about was his family as the world went into slow motion.
Today, although cut and bruised and awaiting surgery to re-attach his thumb, he reckons he's the luckiest man around after surviving a crash that could have ended his life.
The 47-year-old Rotorua man had to be cut from his mangled truck cab as it teetered dangerously 20m down a bank on the Tauranga Direct Rd on Wednesday morning. He was airlifted to Waikato Hospital where he will spend at least a week.
He was driving a general goods truck to Tauranga to pick up The Daily Post when an out-of-control grain tanker pushed him off the road.
``It was the scariest moment of my life,' he told The Daily Post yesterday from his hospital bed, his wife Taima at his side.
``I saw this truck coming towards me. I knew he was going too fast. He slammed on the brakes _ but it was too late. He just lost it and rolled as he was coming around the corner.
``Everything was in slow motion. This truck was just coming towards me and I thought I was a goner. I thought it was all over.'
All he could think about was his wife and kids.
``The truck almost came on top of me. When I started rolling back I knew I was still alive but it got pretty hairy again when I went over the bank.'
Help arrived almost instantly in the form of a policeman who had been travelling behind the truck and called for help.
Mr Connor was trapped in his truck for a couple of hours, his employer frantically trying to call him after being informed one of his drivers was involved in a crash. ``My phone kept ringing but I just couldn't get to it. I was pinned in the truck. When I saw the guys in yellow jackets I knew I was safe.
``There was one guy who was with me the whole time. He was awesome. They put me under so they could pull me out of the cab but other than that, I was awake the whole time.'
It was initially feared he could lose his left leg, which was cut to the bone in places, but his leg is now expected to be fine. Other than that and his thumb requiring surgery, he has ``just cuts and bruises'.
Mr Connor's employer Brian Madams, of Leightons Transport, said a towing company called him to let him know about Wednesday's crash but he didn't know if his truck was the one down the bank _ so he drove out to the crash site to see if Mr Connor was alright.
``The worst part is not knowing if your driver is okay.'
A former furniture salesman, Mr Connor has driven trucks for four years. He had never been involved in a crash before but had always believed it was a matter of if, not when. ``Your only hope is that you can walk away from it.'
He was told the other driver had not been on the Tauranga Direct Rd before.
``I think, as it was his first time on the road, he underestimated the corner. It was just one of those things. I don't hold a grudge.
``You are never as good as you think you are and there is always someone else whose actions you can't control.'
Mr Connor is confident he'll continue driving trucks. ``It's my job.'
His wife Taima Connor said police told her about the crash and she still ``couldn't believe it'.
``I I think I might have to buy a Lotto ticket _ he is just so lucky.'
The couple have five children aged between 6 and 24 and Mr Connor is keen to go home. ``Hamilton is nice but I just want to get home and be with my family.'
The crash site is one of several stretches of road between Ngongotaha and the Mangorewa Gorge set for improvement, widening and straightening.