Dave Miln, an Australian Defense Force veteran, threw his body over his kids to save them from the machine but his legs got caught, according to People.
A California man has lost both of his legs after he threw his body across his family to save them during a recent snow blower accident, according to reports.
Dave Miln and his wife, Clare, took their daughter, Isla, 3, and 1-year-old child, Anna, to ski lessons at Mammoth Mountain in Northern California on December 15 when a motorized snow blower collided with him and his family, People reported.
Miln, an Australian Defense Force veteran, threw his body over his kids to save them from the blower but his legs got caught. He was stuck for an hour in the machine before rescuers could get to him, according to People.
The father’s quick-thinking actions were able to keep Anna unharmed, but Isla suffered sustained significant injuries including breaks in both of her legs and her pelvis, as well as other wounds, and had three surgeries and may require more. She is expected to make a full physical recovery, according to a GoFundMe set up for the family to help pay for expenses.
Clare was able to get help right away and authorities reportedly got Isla to the hospital, People said.
Miln, who has been living in San Diego since retiring from the Australian Defense Force, is now a double amputee.
As well as losing both legs, Miln broke both femurs, pelvis, a number of his lower vertebrae, a sacral and three ribs. He underwent 10 different surgeries in three weeks and still has many more surgeries expected, according to the GoFundMe.
Miln has been medically transferred to Sydney, Australia, and remains in a hospital. Clare, Isla and Anna are now back in Sydney where Isla is attending medical appointments several times a week, according to GoFundMe.
“This life changing incident means the Miln's ‘California Dream’ has come to an early end,” Tsen Bogan, the organizer of the GoFundMe, wrote.
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