Astronomer and broadcaster David Reneke feels lucky to be alive after a car crash and says wearing a seatbelt is crucial.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
He was returning home to Wauchope from Newcastle on Wednesday night (April 19) and was driving along the Bago Road near Bluewater Close at 11pm.
“Something jumped in front of me, an animal, and I tried to out-steer it, and hit a pole,” he said.
It just shows how observant you have to be, and the importance of seatbelts.
- David Reneke
He managed to get out of the car, which was a crumpled mess, but then noticed flames under the bonnet, which spread, as the car caught fire. He managed to grab a few possessions.
“Some really good people from the area came out and helped me,” he said.
They put David in their car until the ambulance came, and took him to Port Macquarie Base Hospital.
“The staff there were wonderful. You couldn’t ask for any better. They didn’t leave anything to chance,” he said.
“Everybody is surprised that I came out of it relatively unscathed, having run into a power pole. It was an instinctive move, the wrong way,” he said.
“I can’t complain. I suffered a little bit of vertebrae damage in the lower spine, I’m badly bruised, and it’s hard to walk, but I’m pretty lucky,” said David.
“I was on my own. I’m thankful for that. It just shows how observant you have to be, and the importance of seatbelts,” he added.
He’s now recovering at home.