“I’ve done that walk 1,000 times. But this time was different. I reckoned I had about 20 minutes left to live.”

David Mackay lives at home with his wife Sarah and four dogs: Ernie, Olive, Patches and Willow.

The 65-year-old semi-retired vet from Niton, Isle of Wight, has been around animals all his life. But, on Thursday 6 June 2024, he comes face-to-face with a herd of cattle – around 20 in total, including calves – in an animal encounter he’ll never forget.

A walk like any other

David and his dogs walk across the hills back home from St Catherine’s Oratory – a walk they’ve done 1,000 times before.

All of the cattle are off to one side, so David and his dogs, who are on the lead, hug the nearside fence.

“The calves came running across from the other side of the field and took an interest in the dogs,” said David. “I look up and the adult cows are charging towards me.”

He lets go of the lead and the dogs scarper.

The cows knock David to the ground and trample him. He attempts to clamber back to his feet but is trampled down again as the cows circle him.

David is “terrified” and attempts to fight his way to the edge of the field, where he collapses. Using all of his remaining strength, David calls his wife and then 999.

Life-threatening injuries

He has a collapsed lung, bleeding in his chest, 12 broken ribs and multiple severe fractures. As his breath becomes harder and harder to catch, David can feel himself gradually fading away.

“It was very scary,” he said. “I absolutely thought I might die. I reckoned I had about 20 minutes left.”

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance team is dispatched and can see David from the air.

“I can just about remember being given medication and the calm assurance from the crew,” said David. “They were excellent. But I don’t remember much of the journey to Southampton – probably a good thing.”

David is loaded onto the helicopter and flown to University Hospital Southampton, where they plate five of his ribs and perform a chest drain procedure.

Photo credit: Isle of Wight County Press

Eight days later, David is back home recovering with help from his wife and four precious pooches.

“What they [Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance] do is so valuable for people like us in the remote tip of the Isle of Wight,” said David.

“To have that amazingly quick and skilled response well… it’s what saved me.

“My situation highlights why it is such an essential service to save so many people. Had it not been for them, I probably wouldn’t be here today. I am and will be eternally grateful.

“Thank you all so much.”