Miracle Girl, 7, Funds Air Ambulance After Crash Trauma

A seven-year-old girl named Gracie Kinnear has received national awards for her exceptional fundraising for Wales Air Ambulance. In February 2023, Gracie, then four, was critically injured when a van driver hit her while she was cycling. She spent five days in a coma and a month in hospital, facing life-threatening injuries including a collapsed lung and a severe head injury. She also required two years of rehabilitation to learn to walk again.

Gracie's recovery was significantly aided by the Wales Air Ambulance, who provided critical pre-hospital care. Her mother expressed profound gratitude, stating Gracie would likely not be alive without them. This experience motivated the family to give back. Gracie became the face of the charity's Christmas campaign in December 2025, successfully helping to raise over £65,000. This amount is sufficient to fund eighteen combined air and road missions for the service.

In recognition of her efforts, Gracie received a certificate of merit from the Child of Wales Awards 2026 and a Child of Courage award at the Nations Radio Awards earlier this year. The van driver responsible for the accident was found guilty of causing serious injury by careless driving in September 2025 and received a prison sentence. Gracie has since returned to school and can now walk and eat independently, with her older brother Chester also recognized for his unwavering support.