Daryl McKeever and his mum Lyndsey have thanked the life-saving charity for coming to his rescue
06:30, 21 Apr 2026
A new video shows how paramedics from the Northern Ireland Air Ambulance gave a 10-year-old boy a second chance in life after he was severely injured when he was knocked down on his bike.
Daryl McKeever was out riding his bike with his friends in February 2023 when he was knocked down and suffered a serious head injury. The injury was deemed so severe that he was put into a coma at the scene before he was taken to hospital.
Thankfully due to the quick response from paramedics from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service and Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) team, the young boy made it to hospital quickly with crews fearing that due to the brain injury, Daryl might not walk or talk again.
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However, despite the difficulties that he faced, Daryl has gone on to make an incredible recovery, relearned to walk and talk again and returned to school full-time and no longer needs to use a wheelchair.
He has now joined his mum Lyndsey in a new video where the pair say thank you to the emergency crews for giving Daryl a second chance in life after such a serious injury.
In the video Lyndsey says: “When we arrived at the hospital, the doctors had told us that Darryl had sustained a number of injuries and that the 1st 24 hours were critical. Darryl was in ICU and when we were moved to the ward, he developed sepsis, which was so scary for us, but he pushed his way through and he got through this.
“The main concern for us was his brain injury, and we were told that he may never walk, talk, or feed himself again as his injuries were just so severe.”
Daryl said: “We want to say we’re really thankful for the air ambulance, we’re really thankful that they gave me a second chance in life.”
Lyndsey continued: “We are all as a family deeply grateful for everything they’ve done. As if it wasn’t for them and their ambulance team, getting to Darryl as quick as they could, Darryl wouldn’t be standing here beside us today.
“Can never say thank you enough for every single person in the team down from the air ambulance right through to the person who took the call and to the HMS team and the helicopter and the medical service, we thank them for everything they’ve done because they give our son a second chance on life.”
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