A father who was hit by a whale’s tail while fishing is still in hospital three weeks later after suffering a brain injury.
Jordan Mainstone was fishing with his friend from a boat off Duranbah, near the New South Wales-Queensland border, when a whale appeared alongside him at 9am on 18 August.
The whale jumped and hit Mr. Mainstone in the face, knocking him unconscious.
The father-of-three’s friend and boat captain Jamie French helped Mr Mainstone, before other locals, some on jet skis, also arrived to lend assistance.
After emergency services were alerted to the horrific incident, Mr Mainstone was rushed to Gold Coast University Hospital with a serious brain injury.
Mr Mainstone’s wife, Rebecca, did not believe Mr French when he called her to tell her about the incident. 7News reported.
“I thought it was a joke, until I heard the panic in his voice,” she said.
Her husband was put into an induced coma for six days before receiving intensive treatment for the traumatic brain injury he suffered from the whale.
Jordan Mainstone (pictured left with his wife Rebecca and their three children) was knocked unconscious when a breaching whale hit him in the face with its tail while he was fishing with a friend on a boat.
He has now been diagnosed with post-traumatic amnesia, which is when confusion occurs after a traumatic brain injury.
Holding back tears, Ms Mainstone said her husband’s recovery could take months, or even years.
“I had the illusion that in a week or two I would get my husband back and that the children would have their father at home,” she said.
Mrs Mainstone revealed that her husband is confused, disoriented and “has no memory”.
“Until he recovers from that condition, we will not know the severity of his brain injury,” he said.
The fisherman’s wife said she is trying to find him a place in a brain injury rehabilitation center to give her husband “the best chance possible.”
Their local Gold Coast community is supporting the family and has created a GoFundMe to ‘help ease the burden of everyday costs’ and assist with ongoing medical expenses.
“He has a long road to recovery and it is unknown when he will be able to return to work,” it reads.
The whale can be seen breaching alongside the boat (pictured). Locals rushed to Mr Mainstone’s aid after witnessing the incident before he was taken to hospital with a serious brain injury.
‘Rebecca has also been unable to work during this time and depending on Jordan’s recovery requirements/time, she may not be able to return to work for some time either.’
Ms Mainstone expressed gratitude for the “constant support, love and help”, saying most days contain “many ups and downs”.
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