The family of a little girl who lost her hand after falling into the blades of a lawnmower in a freak accident are now raising funds to buy her a new prosthetic hand.
Lexi Saker was on the lawnmower with her dad when it hit a raised concrete driveway and jerked forward, causing the toddler to shoot out of her seat.
Tragically as she fell to the side, the tot, then two, became trapped under the mower and the lethal blades took off her left hand in the horrific incident in January 2017.
Lexi Saker (pictured) became trapped under a lawnmower and the lethal blades took off her left hand in a horrific incident in January 2017
‘The kids love sitting on the mower and as soon as the heard it start they went running to jump on,’ Lexi’s mother Jan Saker said (Lexi pictured before the accident)
Parents Jan Saker, 30, and partner, Craig Briggs, 29, from Bundaberg, Queensland, were left horrified and are now hoping that fundraising efforts will help Lexi lead a normal life with a prosthetic hand.
Jan, who works as a disability support worker, said: ‘It’s such an emotional story and the memories are still so fresh.
‘Myself, Craig, Lexi and Lexi’s brother Joel were about to celebrate his fourth birthday when I asked Craig to mow the lawn ready for the party.
Parents Jan Saker, 30, and partner Craig Briggs, 29, (pictured) were left horrified and are now hoping that fundraising efforts will help Lexi lead a normal life with a prosthetic hand
‘The kids love sitting on the mower and as soon as they heard it start they went running to jump on.
‘They both stayed on for a while and I lifted Joel off but Lexi was adamant she wanted to stay on with her dad. Next thing I know she was screaming.
‘It all happened so fast but the mower had hit an area of concrete and caused it to jerk, Lexi had been thrown to the side and her left hand had been caught in the blade.’
Craig quickly turned off the mower before grabbing Lexi and running towards a neighbour who heard the toddlers screams while Mum, Jan, called for an ambulance.
‘She went straight into surgery and nearly fours hours later doctors came out to tell me the news that Lexi was lucky to be very alive,’ Jan said
The toddler was rushed to Bundaberg hospital where they gave her painkillers and wrapped her injured hand before she was flown by air ambulance to Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital in Brisbane
‘I ran upstairs to the phone, shaking and terrified and with so many thoughts going through my head,’ she said.
‘I called for a paramedic while our neighbours and Craig held Lexi’s injured hand wrapped in a towel.
‘While waiting for the ambulance, the operator asked for me to go back and see if I could collect any remaining flesh of Lexi’s fingers.’
Lexi (pictured) went onto have an eight-hour skin graft operation and would often become distressed when nurses came to do her regular check-ups
The toddler was rushed to Bundaberg Hospital where they gave her painkillers and wrapped her injured hand. She was then flown by air ambulance to Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital in Brisbane.
‘Lexi was exhausted but I had to be strong for my girl. I gave everything I got to be there for her and to let her know that everything would be alright,’ she said.
‘She went straight into surgery and nearly fours hours later doctors came out to tell me the news that Lexi was lucky to be very alive but unfortunately there were no fingers left and nothing left from below her wrist.’
Lexi went onto have an eight-hour skin graft operation and would often become distressed when nurses came to do her regular check-ups.
‘While in hospital we talked to Lexi about her hand as she asked why she didn’t have fingers like the other,’ Jan said.
Lexi’s parents are hoping a prosthetic hand will help her lead a normal life
‘We cried knowing our girl would live like this for the rest of her life. Lexi named her left hand ”special” and to this day we still call her hand ”special”.’
Lexi was allowed home, with her brother Joel, now 5, after nearly a month in the hospital and has since been recovering and learning how to do normal everyday tasks, such as holding a cup and carrying objects.
The family have also set up a fundraising page in the hopes they can provide Lexi with a new prosthetic hand.
‘I am very thankful there are kind-hearted people who go an extra mile to support others in need,’ Jan said.
‘We want her to be able to enjoy life and be able to grab things with both hands. I know these hands don’t come cheap and we need every help we can,’ Jan said
‘We are looking at making a hand for Lexi as she will be growing and we are hoping this fund will give us access to getting help for her.
‘We want her to be able to enjoy life and be able to grab things with both hands. I know these hands don’t come cheap and we need every help we can.
‘Joel has been an amazing support to his sister.
‘He always helps her when he can and tries to show her a different way of doing things.
‘We have talked with him about Lexi’s accident and that we now have to help her out.’
Donations can be made here.