Father of two loses his legs after charging battery
A Queensland father of two had his legs amputated after a shocking accident.
Jason Reynoldson, 39, had just returned from a day spent fishing while his wife, Tanaya, was away for the weekend with their children, Taj, eight, and Jasmin, 11, at a netball carnival.
While he was gone, Jason left some batteries to charge on a generator in his garden shed.
But just seconds after entering the shed again, Jason was on the ground.
'I remember going to grab my filleting knives and the generator was whirring, but the batteries weren't quite charged,' Jason told that's life!
'I turned around to pick up the knives but I never made it. Legs crumpling beneath me, my world went black.'
What Jason didn't realise is that he'd suffered carbon monoxide poisoning from the vapours emitted from four-stroke fuel powering the generator.
Out cold for 10 hours, Jason's stepmum, Madeleine, eventually found him the next day after he didn't show up for work.
Collapsing with his arms and legs tangled in an awkward position, the blood supply had been cut off and he spent 10 days in a coma battling to survive.
When he finally woke, his beloved Tanaya had to break the devastating news that his legs had been amputated.
'I was overcome with horror. 'It was your legs or your life,' she said, trying hard to be brave for me,' Jason told that's life!
'I'd also damaged my brachial plexus - the cluster of nerves that sends messages from the spinal cord to my neck and arms.'
'Looking at my kids, who were just so happy to still have a dad, I knew Tanaya had made the right decision. At least I was still here.'
A week later, Jason slowly regained control of his right arm but it took another three months before his left hand started working, too.
While Jason said the recovery has been incredibly grueling, he has defied the odds.
'After inhaling so much poison, they thought I'd have brain damage,' he told that's life!
'Instead, I've taken my first steps. It'll take up to two years before I'm zipping around, but I'm determined.'
Jason is now sharing his story to warn others about the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Known as the silent killer, carbon monoxide has no taste or odour, but can be fatal.
Experts warn never to use a generator, camp stove or other gasoline or charcoal-burning device inside a home, garage or shed.
To help with Jason's recovery, visit gofundme.com/jacko-journey
To read more of Jason's story, get your copy of that's life! magazine - out this week!
