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Kelowna mother of 6 breaks neck on Gyro Beach rope swing

Ben Stanford is fundraising to help care for his wife
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Rachel Stanford is recovering from a broken neck after using the rope swing at Gyro Beach in Kelowna. (Contributed/Ben Stanford)

In sickness and in health, Ben Stanford is fundraising so he can stay by his wife害羞草研究所檚 side while she is on a long road to recovery.

A was started by the Kelowna man after his wife, Rachel, broke her neck while spending time with family on the May Long weekend.

害羞草研究所淲e were at Gyro Beach and my wife and kids were playing in the water. I saw Katie and Rachel were about to go off the rope swing and the phone was handy so I just grabbed it and started filming. I saw Katie go off the rope swing, I filmed my other daughter in the water, and then I turned the camera back and I caught Rachel go off the rope swing and I caught the accident.害羞草研究所

Stanford said his wife was screaming when she came up from under the water and his initial thought was that she was reacting to the chilly water.

害羞草研究所淚 started running toward her and my eldest Katie said that it was mom害羞草研究所檚 tooth, so I thought that we were going to go looking for a tooth. I ran into the water and when I heard 害羞草研究所楤en ow,害羞草研究所 and her hands were up going toward her neck a little bit. As I got closer I realized there was blood coming from her forehead, her nose, and her mouth.害羞草研究所

Stanford works as a care aide for Kelowna General Hospital, and thanks to his basic first aid training for being able to calmly help his wife.

害羞草研究所淢y ten-year-old actually ran and grabbed the phone and knew because Rachel had shown her how to call 911, which is very impressive, and she brought the phone over to me and had already contacted 911 with an ambulance on the way.害羞草研究所

Stanford said it wasn害羞草研究所檛 until the next day that reality set in.

害羞草研究所淭he medical knowledge is good, but really it害羞草研究所檚 the first aid training. Someone can get what I have for first aid training on a weekend. Of course, I have a little bit more with care aide, but first aid - I害羞草研究所檝e said in every interview - I can害羞草研究所檛 say enough good things about being first aid trained.害羞草研究所

Now, the father of six is fundraising to make up for lost wages while he害羞草研究所檚 off work to care for Rachel.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e set up at home. There害羞草研究所檚 just no way to get comfortable right now,害羞草研究所 Stanford said, noting his wife is in a world of pain and will be in a collar for eight to ten weeks.

Thankfully surgery isn害羞草研究所檛 anticipated right now, but Rachel has to go regularly for X-rays and it isn害羞草研究所檛 out of the question entirely. It is expected to be a year before Rachel can go back to normal life.

Donations have been pouring in over the past few days, and by the afternoon of May 28, the money was just a few hundred dollars shy of the $10,000 goal.

害羞草研究所淭he amount of outpouring of support we害羞草研究所檝e got, we害羞草研究所檝e had people offer to pick up driving for us or to sit in a give us rest breaks while I go out. We害羞草研究所檝e had people offer food and to make meals. Honestly, it害羞草研究所檚 more than we害羞草研究所檝e asked for already害羞草研究所 I look at the donations page and I see names that I recognize and I see a lot that I don害羞草研究所檛 and that really speaks volumes.害羞草研究所

READ MORE: PHOTOS: Annual FireSmart Family Day sparks fire preparedness in West Kelowna



brittany.webster@blackpress.ca

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Brittany Webster

About the Author: Brittany Webster

I am a video journalist based in Kelowna and capturing life in the Okanagan
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