The Story

Red Blanket is the medical term used when a 'rapid transfer protocol' is to be initiated by a hospital emergency department.  The rapid transfer protocol ensures that when a patient arrives at the hospital they are immediately taken from the ambulance or helicopter directly to the operating theatre rather than undergoing triage in the emergency department.

Red Blanket is only used in critical 'life and death' situations where a person is barely clinging to life.

On the 17th July 2010, Darryl O’Callaghan was involved in a horrific head-on motorcycle accident with a fully laden car trailer that jack knifed into his lane. Darryl was travelling at approximately 80 - 100 Km/h at the point of impact.  He sustained catastrophic injuries to many parts of his body and arrived at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital  (RBWH) emergency department, classified as a Red Blanket.    

Darryl was rushed directly to theatre where surgeons worked tirelessly for several hours to save Darryl's life.  They reached a point where they felt they had done all they could but were still unable to stop the internal bleeding.  Darryl's family was told by doctors that due to the severity of his injuries they didn't expect him to live through the night. Darryl's wife Julie was holidaying in France with her Belgian family and their 10 month baby girl Siana, when she received a call from Australia. That call would shatter her world...

Darryl's friends were also told of the news, so they assembled in prayer not only in Brisbane but throughout Australia and countries all around the world as news of Darryl's desperate situation spread. They prayed relentlessly for a miracle and it came in the form of Dr Wullschleger, a Swiss trauma surgeon working at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. Dr Wullschleger had not been involved in Darryl's first operation, he was not on duty that day, nor was he on-call but had heard of the accident and felt compelled to head to the hospital.  The amateur video documentary Miracle Ride retraces those early hours immediately following Darryl's accident and the incredible turn of events which unfolded to make Darryl and Martin's journey a  truly compelling story of courage, faith and belief in divine intervention.

The Miracle Ride documentary is now available to view and share online.

VIDEO

TESTIMONIAL