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Home / World

Gold Coast helicopter crash: Survivor reveals road to miraculous recovery

By Eli Green
news.com.au·
13 Mar, 2023 09:54 PM2 mins to read

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Nicholas and Vanessa Tadros before they boarded the Sea World Helicopter.

Nicholas and Vanessa Tadros before they boarded the Sea World Helicopter.

The little boy who survived a horror helicopter crash at Sea World has shared an update on his journey to recovery, just two months after the incident occurred.

Nicky Tadros shared the news after spending months in hospital, with doctors initially unsure if he would make it.

“My kidneys have woken up and I’m no more on a fluid restriction,” he said on TV channel Nine’s A Current Affair.

“And my liver levels have gotten better and all my blood test results have came back really good.”

The 10-year-old was on one of two helicopters that collided mid-air at Sea World on the Gold Coast in January.

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His mother Vanessa Tadros was killed alongside British tourists Ron and Diane Hughes and Sea World Helicopters chief pilot Ash Jenkinson. The other managed to land on a sandbank.

Nicholas Tadros, was one of seven people on-board a joy ride helicopter that crashed near SeaWorld theme park on the Gold Coast, Photo / 9News
Nicholas Tadros, was one of seven people on-board a joy ride helicopter that crashed near SeaWorld theme park on the Gold Coast, Photo / 9News

His father Simon Tadros said he was incredibly proud of his “strong willed” son’s recovery effort.

“The bravery he’s showing and he’s just pushing through every kind of hardship,” Mr Tadros said.

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“That’s why we call him Superman, because everything you put in front of him, he just pushes it out on the way.”

Despite the mammoth effort to save Nicholas’ life, doctors were unable to save his right leg, with the young boy having to undergo a five-and-a-half-hour amputation operation.

“I was nervous at the beginning because I thought they get a chainsaw and chop it off from Bunnings Warehouse,” he said.

Though Nicholas Tadros had endured countless surgeries and a long road ahead, he was thankful for the support he received.

“I thank [Australia] for everything because I know that they’re always praying for me and caring for me and that’s the same with dad,” he said.

“[Dad]’s always caring for me, since day one he’s never left my side no matter what.

“When I’m sad when I’m happy when I’m angry, he’s there for me.”

Mr Tadros was celebrating each milestone as his son works toward leaving hospital and returning to normal life.

“He’s pushing through and the results are a full credit to Nicolas and he’s out of ICU now. He’s not connected to any more pumps or you know machines.”

Nicholas also shared what he was most looking forward to when leaving hospital.

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“I thank [Australia] for everything because I know that they’re always praying for me and caring for me and that’s the same with dad,” he said.

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