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ShareLone survivor of B.C. plane crash happy to be home in Alberta
By The Canadian Press
Published: November 21, 2008 6:24 PM
EDMONTON — The lone survivor of a B.C. plane crash that killed seven people is in intense pain awaiting surgery on his badly burned hands, comforted by loved ones and ice-cold Slurpies — lots of Slurpies.
Tom Wilson, 35, who also suffered burns to his face and leg, is expected to be in hospital in Edmonton for at least three weeks, said Mike Wilson, his older brother.
He is happy to be home.
“His whole family is here,” said Mike Wilson, adding relatives hold big cups of the sweet, frozen treat for Tom to drink from through a straw.
“We are getting tired of going for Slurpies. But if he wants Slurpies, we will get him Slurpies.”
The Pacific Coastal Airlines seaplane crashed Sunday on remote Thormanby Island. Investigators still don’t know why it went down.
The pilot and six other passengers aboard the Grumman Goose plane were killed.
Mike Wilson said his brother told Transport Canada investigators in Vancouver everything that he knows about the crash, but can’t talk publicly about what happened because the probe is ongoing.
Tom Wilson, who once served in the Navy, is an avid outdoorsman and very independent.
Despite burns and lacerations he somehow managed to stagger from the crash site toward a beach, where he was rescued.
Doctors who treated him in Vancouver were amazed by his good condition.
But his injuries are preventing him from sleeping through the night and medical staff are watching closely to ensure that he doesn’t develop infections, which are a danger in burn cases.
“He is in pain all of the time,” said Mike. “He rests when he can rest.”
