Tragic update on man buried alive on Bribie Island
Vibrant and energetic 25-year-old Josh Taylor, who found himself buried in the sandy depths of Bribie Island, Queensland, has succumbed to the severe injuries sustained during the tragic incident.
After five days of battling for his life, Josh's family made the agonising decision to switch off his life support.
Josh's untimely demise stemmed from a seemingly innocent gathering on Bribie Island, where he and his friends were digging a sand pit to cook a pig in the traditional Maori style of hangi.
Witnesses recalled the horrifying moment when Josh, while standing on a chair, lost his footing, and the sand beneath him gave way. He stumbled backwards into the deep hole, disappearing from view. It took a team of 15 people to pull him out.
An off-duty paramedic and loyal friends resorted to using ropes tied to Josh's feet, pulling him free from the suffocating grip of the sand, but despite their valiant efforts, Josh had already endured significant injuries during the ordeal.
As they pulled him from the hole, the force of the rescue exacerbated his injuries, leaving him without a pulse for a gut-wrenching 45 minutes. The nightmare unfolded before the eyes of Josh's family, who were also on the scene.
Josh's father, Peter, was among those frantically digging to free his son.
In their grief, following the decision to switch off Josh's life support, the Taylor family expressed gratitude for the compassionate efforts of those who helped to pull him from the sand, attempted to revive him at the scene, and provided care at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane.
“Without these people, Josh would not have had the opportunity to recover or give our family and friends these last precious days with him to say goodbye,” the Taylor family said in a statement.
“He fought as hard as he could and is the most courageous person we will ever know.
"Unfortunately, the injuries he received were too severe for him to overcome. We will somehow find a way to move on from this terrible tragedy.
“He was the best son, brother, boyfriend and mate we could all have wished for. We love you Josh and will miss you every minute of every day. Goodbye mate until we see each other again.”
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