Surrey dad laments son’s needless death
Skateboarding teen who suffered head injury wasn’t wearing helmet
By Cassidy Olivier, Canwest News Service
June 18, 2009
It was a basic skateboarding trick 13-year-old Matthew Elder had done thousands of times. But for whatever reason, on June 19, 2002, it all went horribly wrong when the Surrey teen tried to land the kick flip while skateboarding with his buddy outside his house.
Instead of riding it out — the trick requires the rider to make the board jump off the ground and flip 360 degrees before landing wheel-side down — Matthew fell and smacked his head on the pavement. He wasn’t wearing a helmet.
After lying unconscious for a short period, the teen groggily made it back to his house with the help of his friend. But it was only on his mother’s return from work a short while later, that the seriousness of his injury was realized.
A health-care worker by profession, Matthew’s mother rightly guessed her son had a fractured skull and the decision was made to rush him to hospital. Still, nobody could have foreseen what happened next: Within three hours, Matthew would die as a result of a brain bleed.
“Nobody thought it was really as life-threatening as it had become,” said Stephen Elder, Matthew’s father. “We just figured he is going to go into Children’s [Hospital], he will have surgery and he will be OK — not for a second dreaming the outcome would be what it WAS.”
But perhaps the hardest part for Matthew’s mom, dad, brothers and sister to accept is the knowledge his injury could have been prevented with the use of a helmet.
While the teen generally did wear one, his dad admits Matthew often left it at home, especially if he was just going out for a little while.
“When he was close to home, he did the ‘Oh, come on, Dad. I’m close to home,’ and unfortunately I bought into that,” said Elder. “I am not sure there was a way to prevent the fall from occurring. However, the resulting injury could have been easily prevented had Matthew been wearing a helmet.”
Unlike cyclists, skateboarders aren’t currently bound by provincial legislation mandating the use of helmets, although some municipalities such as Port Moody, West Vancouver and North Vancouver have passed bylaws enforcing their use.
Regardless, it still remains up to the individual to self-regulate and, according to Elder, there still remain too many who maintain the “it can never happen to me” attitude.
“It breaks my heart every time I see kids not wearing helmets, because I know what the outcome can be,” he said. “People say it will never happen to me and I’m like, ‘You want to bet?’”
Skateboarding injuries
- On average, there are 70 skateboarding injuries reported to B.C. Children’s Hospital each year.
- Injuries range from upper extremity injuries (head, forearms, wrists, elbows and hands), which account for 60 per cent of all injuries, and lower extremities (ankles, legs and feet).
- Fractures account for 40 per cent of all skateboarding injuries in B.C.- Over 60 per cent of skateboarding injuries occur from loss of control of the skateboard.
- More than 100,000 Canadians suffer a brain injury each year. Thirty per cent of all traumatic brain injuries are sustained by children and youth, many while participating in sports and recreational activities.
Play it safe
- Wear a helmet.
- Ensure that you see a doctor or medic if you fall and hit your head.
- Parents and adults should be role models for children and enforce proper use of all necessary safety equipment.
© Copyright (c) The Victoria Times Colonist
