SAS Australia’s Ollie Ollerton reveals he thought John Steffensen was dead after he collapsed during the show’s dramatic finale
SAS Australia’s Ollie Ollerton admitted he thought John Steffensen was dead after he collapsed mid-air during a helicopter exercise during Tuesday’s finale.
The 48-year-old directing staffer (DS) confessed he was concerned after seeing a lifeless John drop to the ground upon descent.
John, 39, struggled with asthma throughout the series, and said he’d been unable to breathe while suspended from the helicopter alongside fellow recruit Sam Burgess.
On-air scare: SAS Australia’s Ollie Ollerton admitted he thought John Steffensen (pictured) was dead after he collapsed mid-air during a helicopter exercise during Tuesday’s finale
‘I had this bergen that weighed more than me, and I’ve turned into skin and bones, and because of the cold air, my chest started closing in,’ John recounted.
‘Then the harness closed my chest. I gave Sam the walkie talkie and said, “Tell them to get me down.” Sam’s going, “No, look around! Look around!”‘
Ollie admitted that when he’d initially seen John hanging from the harness, he assumed he was taking a nap.
Getting worried: DS Ollie Ollerton (pictured) confessed he was concerned after seeing a lifeless John drop to the ground upon descent
Out of breath: John struggled with asthma throughout the series, and said he’d been unable to breathe while suspended from the helicopter alongside fellow recruit Sam Burgess
‘You know what, the first thing I thought, I thought, “S**t, he’s got his head down. He’s having a nap,”‘ revealed Ollie.
But after then seeing John collapse onto the ground seemingly unconscious, he then began to worry.
‘You got down to the ground and I was just about to come and unhook you and you were gone. And I thought, “F**k! He’s dead!”‘ continued Ollie.
‘I had this bergen that weighed more than me, and I’ve turned into skin and bones, and because of the cold air, my chest started closing in,’ John recounted. Pictured with Sam Burgess (right)
Emergency landing: After seeing John collapse onto the ground seemingly unconscious, Ollie began to worry
Thankfully, John regained consciousness after Ollie removed his harness, and explained that he’d had an asthma attack while in the air.
Ollie praised John – who completed the course – for his ‘commendable effort’ throughout the series, especially while suffering from asthma.
‘It’s a commendable effort to come on this and then get to where you got. To get to any stage of the course and be dealing with asthma as well,’ added an impressed Ollie.
‘You got down to the ground and I was just about to come and unhook you and you were gone. And I thought, “F**k! He’s dead!”‘ continued Ollie