Bedside vigil

By Paul Dunlop
RESIDENTS are rallying behind a young Pakenham man severely injured last week in a freak motorbike fall.
Casey Cherry faces a battle to walk again after an accident while working as a jackeroo on a family friend’s remote outback station 200 kilometres north of Broken Hill.
The 20yearold was crossing a dry creek bed when his bike hit quicksand, sending him over the handlebars. His neck was broken in three places and his spinal cord damaged, leaving him paralysed from the chest down.
Casey’s father, Ian, was also at the 90,000acre station and spent several hours with his son on the creek bed waiting for emergency services to make the long journey by road and air.
Casey was taken to hospital in Adelaide, where family members and friends rushed to be by his side.
Mr Cherry said the full extent of his son’s injuries was still being determined.
“It’s up and down. At the moment he can move his arms a bit and that’s what we’re clinging to,” he said.
“The doctors aren’t confident he’ll walk again, but we will never give up hoping.”
News of the accident sent shockwaves through the district with the Cherry family wellknown for its involvements in sporting and community organisations.
Stunned friends and workmates have vowed to do everything they can to help.
The incident was a case of lightning striking twice for Wendy and Peter Goldsack. Peter was injured in a fall from a bike during a holiday visit to the property last year.
The Goldsack and Cherry families are extremely close and have been in constant contact over the past several days.
About 25 people gathered at the Goldsacks’ home on Sunday to kickstart plans for fundraising initiatives, with fliers for events already appearing around town.
“People are shocked, they are keen to do whatever they can for Casey and Ian and Janice and Lauren,” Mrs Goldsack said.
“It’s going to be a huge thing for them, it’s going to change all their lives.
“They’re all so heavily into the community and Casey is such a great kid, it’s just very devastating.”
The Cherrys will stay in Adelaide for several more days before Casey can be transported to hospital in Melbourne.
Mr Cherry said the family had been buoyed by the messages of support they had received. Casey’s girlfriend, Dejan, had also been a rock, he said, never leaving his side.
“She’s been a pillar of strength to all of us,” he said.
Pakenham’s Cactus Black surf shop operator Gavin Bindley said people had been in the shop all week asking about Casey’s condition.
“He has worked here since he was 15, Lauren works here, too. It’s been very tough for everyone. We just want to help him and his family get through this,” Mr Bindley said.
Pakenham Football Club president Graham Burridge said players and officials were devastated.
A regular senior player last year, Casey had a bright future at the club, he said.
“He’s one of those genuinely nice young blokes who gives everything his best shot,” Mr Burridge said.
“The whole family certainly doesn’t deserve this. Casey loves his sport, he loves life and we’ll be there for him in any way we can.”