A teenager is seriously ill in hospital after hitting his head in a fall at a skate park in Bury St Edmunds.
Messages of support have flooded in for 16-year-old Sidney Hudson, who is now in Addenbrooke’s Hospital after suffering a seizure following the incident at the skate park in Olding Road on Saturday.
Sidney, known as Sid, went to County Upper School and is planning to attend West Suffolk College in September.
A GoFund Me appeal ‘Support for Sid’ has now been launched to support his parents Darrin and Kirsty as they wait with him at his bedside at the hospital.
The appeal has been launched by his aunt Tara Hudson.
Tara said: “He is a beautiful, smart, and respectful young man. He loves his family and is idolized by his younger sister, Leni, who is 10. He is a wonderful son and amazing big brother.
“In the past, he would spend hours at the skate park but that has obviously been diminished during lockdown. Lately he has been there every chance he gets. He is a very good skater and shares some of his videos on his social media.
“His parents are overwhelmed with the love and support they have received from the community and cannot say enough good things about the NHS and the care he has received.
“They are also very thankful for his friends at the skate park who took such care in getting him help and getting hold of them.
“They are living minute by minute just waiting for the next update and hoping for the best. Our prayer at this time is that the swelling remains at a minimum.” Sid had been with friends at the skate park when he fell and hit his head.
He was taken to West Suffolk Hospital but transferred to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge.
A woman who helped Sid described how she tried to comfort him as they waited for the ambulance.
Hannah Woodward, 28, of Barningham, had been roller-skating at the park.
She said: “He was unconscious for a short period of time. I was there when he started to come round. I helped put Sid into a safe position and isolated his head, neck and spine until the ambulance crew put him on the board.”
Sid’s family are asking anyone who helped him after he was hurt to message them via the Bury St Edmunds Skate Park Experience Facebook page, which has received dozens of messages of support and been shared more than 1,000 times.
In a post, the Experience said: “We have been asked by Sid’s family to try and make contact with any of the people directly involved with his immediate care after his slam as they would like to reach out to you. If you helped to care for Sid, or can help us find them, please please DM us.”
It is not known if Sid was using a skateboard when he fell at the park, which is owned by West Suffolk Council.
A council spokesperson said it had sent an inspector to assess the scene in the wake of the incident but the skate park remained open.
“We are sorry to hear that this skate park user is receiving hospital treatment,” she said.
‘We heard this morning that a 16-year-old lad is being treated in Addenbrooke’s following an incident on Saturday at Bury St Edmunds Skate Park.
“An inspector has visited the site this morning, which remains open. The signage, with messages about the use of safety equipment and users doing so at their own risk, is in place.”
John Griffiths, the leader of West Suffolk Council added: ‘We are of course very sorry to hear about this incident and like all, send our best wishes and thoughts to Sidney, all his family and friends. I’d like to thank those who helped and gave care at the time, and wish him a speedy recovery.”
A spokesperson for East of England Ambulance Service said they were first called to the skate park at around 2.15pm on Saturday.
“An ambulance and a rapid response vehicle were called to the skate park in Bury St Edmunds following reports that a boy had become injured,” the spokesman said.
“One patient was transported to West Suffolk Hospital for further assessment and care.”
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