Teenager crushed by whale wakes from coma

Nick Myhill and his stepfather Matt Price were out fishing near Narooma early on June 6 when a whale breached and landed on the boat, injuring both men.

Price, who also suffered head injuries, was able to call rescue services via the badly damaged boat’s VHF radio before heading back into shore – with the boat taking on water – where 18-year-old Myhill was stabilised by ambulance officers and rushed to hospital in a serious condition.

Related content:

Carmen Bartley, a family friend who has now launched an online appeal to help provide the vital funds needed to help Myhill and his family, said the teenager had been woken from his coma – a big step in his recovery process.

“He's [Myhill’s] out of his coma as of Monday and talking, which is amazing considering we didn't even think he was going to pull through,” Bartley said.

“There's definitely some level of brain damage there, we're just not sure the extent of that at the moment, but he's awake, and he's talking and he's laughing. And that's just amazing for now.”

Bartley said Myhill had memories of what happened on the boat, including the trip back in.

“He even remembers laying on the wharf when they got back into shore and hearing the ambos talk about concussions and head injuries,” she said.

Bartley said since waking from his coma, Myhill had joked about getting a new boat to replace the one damaged by the whale for his 19th birthday later this month.

She said Myhill and Price were best mates, and would often go out fishing together to escape the pressures of the world and unwind.

“They've always gone fishing together since Nick was seven and Matt and [Nick’s mother] Katie first met,” she said

“They're just always gone fishing together and had boats, and they both love the water. And when life gets stressful, that's what they do – they go out and they go fishing.”

Bartley said the Narooma community had jumped behind Nick and Matt, helping out where they could to make life easier for the family.

“Narooma has been amazing,” she said. “I've actually got a lady down there that runs one of the OzHarvest (a non-profit that donates food to charities) things and they are dropping a food package over with some meals and fresh fruit and veggies and stuff like that to the house for them today. 

“Matt’s there and he's trying to do night shift, and there's also another three teenagers at home and a baby that they've got,” she said.

“He’s sort of burning the candle at both ends at the moment trying to work and keep everyone going and support Katie and Nick at the same time.”

Bartley said Myhill was likely to need a long recovery process, with life unlikely to return to what it was before the close call with the whale, with many of the services he will need not available in Narooma.

“They're [Myhill’s family] going to obviously need financial help for that, and for any modifications they might need to make to the house that they're in as well,” she said. 

“They’re possibly even having to move house at this stage. They’re renting, so the house they're in is probably not going to be suitable for Nick when he comes home.”

Bartley said no one could have anticipated what happened to Nick and Matt out on the water that day.

“Matt was saying that another guy he knew on the same day had one surface about 10 meters from his boat,” she said.

“So I'm guessing they're just there in the area, and they're under the water and the noise of the boat must scare them or something.

“They didn't see the whale and they didn't even know it was there when it was submerged,” she said. 

“You have no idea that they're about until they pop up. There's not really anything you can do to prepare yourself for that or to predict it.”

You can donate to the Keep Nick Afloat appeal here.