02/10/2026
Nick Bennett has survived three serious cardiac episodes in the last 13 years as well as a machete attack while trekking the Black Cat Track in Papua New Guinea.
More recently, it was the fast response, clinical expertise and dedicated care of paramedics and medical teams at the Mackay Base Hospital Emergency Department which helped keep the former policeman alive when he suffered sudden-onset, critical haemorrhaging last month.
Nick, who works as a facilitator, team builder and performance coach, and his wife Rowena were headed to New Zealand on holiday. They had just checked in at Mackay Airport when he suddenly started to feel faint, his blood pressure dropping rapidly.
While his wife went to get him some water, he passed out in the airport. It was assumed he was having a stroke.
In fact, Nick was suffering severe bleeding from the re**um combined with a dangerous drop in blood pressure known as acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB), leading to haemorrhagic shock.
“There was blood everywhere, so my wife called immediately for help and an ambulance. The airport fire crews arrived quickly and an ambulance followed,” he said.
“Rowena, the amazing woman that she is and so calm in the moment, organised our bags off the plane, all while this crisis was happening.”
Paramedics and airport fire crews quickly loaded him into an ambulance and he was transferred under lights and sirens, critically unwell, to the Mackay Base Hospital Emergency Department.
“I honestly thought I was gone; there was so much blood, about 2.5 litres apparently,” Nick said.
“I had no control over my body and I felt my life blood just rushing out.
“It is incredibly humbling to give up any situational control to others, especially when your life is on the wrong side of the line.”
After four bags of blood, Nick was rushed into emergency surgery to have the bleed located, cauterised and clamped. He was admitted to the surgical unit for four days and once stabilised, continued his recovery at home.
Nick said it was a terrifying experience to be so critically ill and that he was incredibly grateful to the first responders on scene and the Mackay Base Hospital staff.
He wanted to share his experience “partly as a reflection, as a way of processing and to tell a story of the days which were nearly my last … again.”
“We have amazing people in our Mackay Base Hospital. You are such special people who are confronted with others' trauma daily and your calm in the chaos made it much more manageable for both myself and my wife,” he said.
“A massive thank you to my beautiful wife for your incredible love, self-control and calm.
“Thank you for the sincere concern and support from the Mackay Airport staff who were so quick to respond and to the airport fire team and two young ambulance officers who also helped us.
“Thank you to the Mackay Base Hospital ED staff who were more than amazing in what they were dealing with. And thanks also to the General Surgery Unit (GSU) staff who are just incredible. My life was literally in your hands.
“I am eternally grateful and indeed very fortunate.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
