A young boy who miraculously survived the Sea World helicopter crash is now set to lose his leg below the knee, his heartbroken father has revealed.
Nicholas Tadros, 10, broke almost every bone in his body after two helicopters collided in mid-air before plummeting onto a sand bank at the Gold Coast theme park on January 2.
The 10-year-old has been receiving treatment in the Queensland Children’s Hospital since the crash that killed his mother Vanessa Tadros, 36, and three others.
His father Simon Tadros previously said Nicholas had lost his right foot.
However, on Saturday, he revealed the 10-year-old is set to have his right leg amputated just below the knee on Monday.
‘Nicholas is being brave but is scared and nervous,’ Mr Tadros told the Courier Mail.
‘I just ask everyone to pray for my son and that all goes well.’
Nicholas has since awoken and remains in a stable condition, but his road to recovery remains long.
Mr Tadros has remained by his son’s side throughout the harrowing ordeal and previously revealed the full extent of his injuries.
‘He broke nearly everything from top to bottom, you know, his arms, his legs, his sternum, his hips, his thighs, his legs, his arms, ribs, lungs collapsing,’ he told A Current Affair.
‘The only thing I think he didn’t really break was his right arm. How he survived is a miracle.’
Mr Tadros also shared his last moment with Vanessa and Nicholas before the doomed aircraft took off.
‘I just gave them both a hug and a kiss and I said, “Enjoy it…have fun,” he said.
“I’ll see you when you get back down’.’
The doting father said he didn’t join the pair because of his fear of heights.
Minutes later, Mr Tadros recalled hearing a ‘big bang’ and could only watch on in horror as the aircraft collided with another helicopter in mid-air.
It then plummeted onto a sandbank, killing Vanessa, British newlyweds Ron, 65, and Diane Hughes, 57, and pilot Ashley Jenkinson, 40.
Mr Tadros recalled the moment detectives informed him of the horror news.
‘Those were the worst words I’ve ever heard in my life,’ he said.
‘I was terrified. I lost my wife. To lose my son as well, that’s my whole life ripped apart, that’s everyone gone.’
Mr Tadros said his son Nicholas was ‘keeping his spirits’ despite ‘still struggling on a day-to-day basis’.
‘He’s trying to comprehend still what really happened to him,’ he said.
Mr Tadros explained that it was a ‘daily struggle’ grieving for his wife and seeing his son in hospital but said the least he could do was be there for Nicholas.
He added that his son is a survivor who refuses to ‘give up’.
Nicholas has received an outpouring of support from friends, family and especially from his karate gym in Western Sydney.
Queensland Police and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau are examining the crash but a final verdict on what caused it isn’t expected until 2024.
SeaWorld Helicopters has suspended flights while investigations take place.
A GoFundMe for Nicholas has been set up by his karate teacher, Mr Nasr. You can donate here.