SASKATOON — Thomas Wright had not ridden in a helicopter before, and it was unfortunate that his first time riding in the aircraft was a matter of life and death. Two years ago, on April 13, 2024, the 19-year-old experienced a life-threatening accident while riding his dirt bike with his friends at the Nisbet Forest trails, 98 kilometres north of Saskatoon and about 30 minutes away from Prince Albert.
Wright said he was leading a group during his first ride of that spring when he had a head-on collision with another rider on the trail. At first, both attempted to avoid each other, but it was too late, resulting in the accident. The impact drove a handlebar into his side, causing a severe laceration and breaking part of his pelvis, while he also became entangled in his motorcycle and nearby brush.
Wright shared his experience during the launch of the 15th annual STARS Lottery Saskatchewan on Thursday, June 18, at the million-dollar dream home grand prize at Greenbryre Estates southeast of Saskatoon.
“We were in Chanti Lake, between Prince Albert and Saskatoon, because we had a cabin there. After the accident, I just wanted to get out of the forest and get to the hospital. I was in a lot of pain, and I knew I needed critical care. My main goal was to stay calm, as other people around me were panicking because it was one of the biggest ‘Oh, no!’ moments in my life,” said Wright.
His friends rushed to help free him from his situation. They realized he had suffered serious injuries, and since he was bleeding heavily, one of his friends took off his hoodie and applied pressure to the wound while another called 911 for help. His family and other riders at the scene assisted emergency crews in reaching the remote accident site. A retired EMT also helped stabilize him.
When paramedics arrived, they determined he could not straighten one leg because of the severity of his injuries. Due to his serious condition, STARS air ambulance was called in, and its crew worked with ground personnel and members of the Rosthern Fire Department to move him to the helicopter that landed 400 yards away. He was transported by a side-by-side at walking speed due to the rough terrain.
From there, he was airlifted to Royal University Hospital, where doctors discovered a four-inch laceration caused by the handlebars and that his pelvis had been broken in three places, including a fracture that broke off the iliac wing, the largest bone of a human’s pelvis. He underwent surgery the next day and was unable to bear weight on one leg until late May.
“I was at the hospital for five days. When I left the hospital, I was told not to put weight on my right leg for six weeks. After that, I could slowly start walking. It wasn’t a long walk, just a little bit every day. I did a bunch of physiotherapy to get back into doing longer walks and being able to play sports again,” said Wright, who lives in Warman but is currently working in Estevan.
He credited STARS and the immediate critical care he received, as well as the support of friends, first responders and donors, with saving his life. He said that without the helicopter service, he would have faced a much longer extraction from the forest and was unsure whether he would have remained conscious long enough to reach hospital care.
“I'm very thrilled to share my story at the STARS Lottery launch, because every ticket supports and saves a life. I had the chance to meet the STARS air ambulance medical team, who helped save my life at their hangar (near the Saskatoon airport). I have never been in a helicopter, and at this point, it was nice to see the one that transported me to the hospital. It looks very complicated to fly,” said Wright.
A total of $4 million in prizes, including a 2026 Ford F-150 pickup and a 2026 Barletta Cabrio pontoon boat, will be given away at the annual fundraiser that supports STARS air ambulance operations.
“Someone should purchase a ticket because STARS is non-profit and they're there for everyone on the worst day of their life, which I experienced first-hand, and I am really thankful for that.”
STARS president and CEO John Froh said the lottery is in its 15th year, and this will be their largest fundraiser and most important event. They hope to raise between $3 million and $4 million, with a third of the revenue going to their operations.
“The mission of STARS is to provide critical care anywhere, and so when you buy a STARS lottery ticket, you're directly supporting that mission. Last year, we flew just under 900 missions into Saskatchewan. Every one of those people, critically ill or injured, every one of those patients represents a family, and all those families living in communities,” said Froh.
“Our mission really is to provide and deliver that expertise in level of care to people across the province, regardless of where you live, so we're talking about thousands of patients affected, saved, and families helped. When we get to meet our very important patients, it's very humbling. It takes a lot of courage and conviction to come and speak to a crowd like Thomas did today. To share that very personal event, it's powerful.”
