Community unites behind Lorne SLSC member after life-changing injury

THE Lorne community wrapped its arms around a 23-year member of the town’s Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC) last weekend when it hosted a fundraiser for James Carew, who was permanently disabled in a skiing accident last year.

A crowd of more than 200 gathered upstairs at the Lorne SLSC clubrooms to catch up with Mr Carew and his extended family on Saturday night and through a combination of entry fees, raffles and silent auctions helped raise almost $40,000.

Lorne SLSC life member Richard Knight said many of those who turned out had not seen the popular member since he was paralysed from the waist down at Mt Hotham in August 2022.

Mr Carew was a frontline paramedic until his skiing accident paralysed him from waist down.

“It was just so good to have a really good night with him and family, and look to the future,” he said.

“The whole thing was about setting him up independently. He was a frontline paramedic for Ambulance Victoria and they’re trying to find something else for him, but the house he was in wasn’t set up for a wheelchair and he’ll need something that suits his needs.

“More than that, it was just good to have James out and see the support from the community for him.”

Together with an ongoing gofundme campaign that has so far raised almost $140,000, Mr Carew’s friends and family are hopeful they can help buy him a home.

Mr Knight said it was almost impossible to quantify the help his colleague and friend had given others in the community, recounting several examples where Mr Carew had saved lives.

“I’ve witnessed him do two defrib’s (defribillator). One day before the Pier to Pub, a man dropped with a heart attack and James gave him a shock within about 30 seconds; best in class.

“Another out the front of the club was a runner in the Mountain to Surf, he had an issue and James hooked him up and shocked him; it was actually past club president Howard Fuller.

Mr Carew suffered a T11 fracture and incomplete spinal cord damage during a skiing accident which has left him paralysed from the waist down.

“I’m biased, but he was one of the best instructors on the coast for the Bronze Medallion program as well… James really took that from good to great, to the next level.”

Mr Knight was keen to point out that while his friend’s life looked very different to his past, Mr Carew remained active.

“He’s still on the Pier to Pub committee and will continue to be making a contribution to the club,” he said.

To contribute to the fund for James Carew, head to gofundme.com/f/hes-always-had-your-back-now-he-needs-your-help