A motorbike rider is clinging to life in hospital after a crash at Snetterton Circuit left him in a coma.
Aaron Clifford was in an accident involving two other riders during the warm-up lap of the National STK600 race on Sunday, July 21.
The 19-year-old was placed into an induced coma by the British Superbike (BSB) medical team before being airlifted to Addensbrooke Hospital, Cambridge, by the East Anglian Air Ambulance.
His injuries include; a serious head injury, both cheek bones broken, a collapsed left lung, broken sternum, multiple broken ribs, both wrists and right arm broken, shattered left femur, broken neck, and dislocated pelvis.
Surgeries had been taking place to put plates in his legs and arms to start to fix the breaks but on Wednesday, July 24 he needed emergency surgery and was transported to the heart and lung specialist centre at Papworth Hospital in Cambridge.
The Irish rider, from Duleek, has been connected to an ECMO machine which bypasses his lungs and oxygenates his blood.
Doctors hope to stabilise Mr Clifford and resume the treatment to fix his broken bones.
The medical team said he currently has a good level of oxygen and carbon dioxide in his blood with the pressure in his brain at an acceptable level.
But he is still in a critical condition, in an induced coma and completely medically paralysed in a Critical Care Unit.
His father, Kenneth Clifford, said: "This is going to be an extremely long and difficult road for Aaron.
"We would like to thank everyone for all their kind messages and prayers. Also a very special thank you to the BSB medical team and the air ambulance."
A Go Fund Me Page has been set-up to help with the teenager's recovery. A target of €20,000 as been set with more than €10,000 raised in just five days after donations from the racing community.
The crash overshadowed the weekend which was dominated by British rider Scott Redding who won both races in the premier BSB class.
For more information or to donate go to www.gofundme.com/f/jza8t7-aarons-recovery-fund
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