!["I really can't thank them enough, I can't put it into words how I feel," says Bailey Wilke of the team of strangers who rushed to save him. Picture by Anna Warr.
"I really can't thank them enough, I can't put it into words how I feel," says Bailey Wilke of the team of strangers who rushed to save him. Picture by Anna Warr.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/UPAcJLQNVGftX3BUDy544C/f662aa96-6dac-415b-8f4a-fad94c1beaac.jpg/r0_0_4000_2667_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Bailey Wilke of Dapto is forever grateful for the "true heroes" who saved his arm from permanent damage after changing a tyre went horribly wrong.
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The 19-year-old headed out to Wollongong Central with his girlfriend to get some Christmas crackers on Friday night but the plan changed when his left arm became trapped and crushed by his Holden Commodore.
"I popped my tyre, and we were changing it in the underground parking ... and my jack, it broke," Bailey told the Mercury.
"The car fell on my wrist which was in between the wheel and the fender."
![Bailey Wilke, 19, said there was no blood and gore after his Holden Commodore crushed his arm when the jack broke changing a tyre, but the intense pain sent him into shock. Picture by Anna Warr. Bailey Wilke, 19, said there was no blood and gore after his Holden Commodore crushed his arm when the jack broke changing a tyre, but the intense pain sent him into shock. Picture by Anna Warr.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/UPAcJLQNVGftX3BUDy544C/3f2cb0ec-63ce-4b61-82fd-4f34fde47df7.jpg/r0_0_4000_2667_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
He described the squeezing pressure as the most incredible, horrible pain while recalled going into shock with "adrenaline pumping, pins and needles", and his face and hands becoming numb.
It wasn't long before a team of strangers came to his aid, either because they heard his screams or his girlfriend Emma calling for help, he said.
"There were a lot of people all over the car pulling it up," Bailey recalled, noting there were also many security guards from the shopping centre who had come to help also.
"I wouldn't have my hand without them. I really can't thank them enough; I can't put it into words how I feel."
His mother Cherie Wilke posted on Facebook at the weekend to express her extreme gratitude for those people, especially a couple in a white Hyundai who rushed her son to hospital.
"Thankyou for your kindness and not walking past, and taking the humanity side and going and helping," Cherie said.
![Cherie Wilke says it's a 'Christmas miracle' her son Bailey (above) sill has his left arm intact, after he became trapped when changing a tyre on Friday. Picture by Anna Warr. Cherie Wilke says it's a 'Christmas miracle' her son Bailey (above) sill has his left arm intact, after he became trapped when changing a tyre on Friday. Picture by Anna Warr.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/UPAcJLQNVGftX3BUDy544C/57897d97-a51d-4e4d-a8ed-d762d2271f2c.jpg/r0_0_4000_2667_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
It's the first time Bailey has ever visited hospital or broken a bone, while it was also the first time Cherie has received a call that one of her children was hurt.
Doctors at Wollongong Hospital's Emergency Department said Bailey was very lucky to only have suffered a fracture - a "Christmas miracle" his mum said.
He will go back for more x-rays next week before being put in a new cast for 12-weeks, with surgery highly unlikely.
Cherie said the people in the white Hyundai had got in touch privately but wished to stay anonymous, which she found "really humbling".
"They were all true heroes in my eyes."
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