One of Britain’s toughest schoolboys survived being crushed – by a half-tonne metal gate.
Ethan Kosak-Hine – a member of the Great Britain Taekwondo squad – was closing the electronic gate at his parents’ home when it came loose and toppled onto him.
The 5ft x 12ft barrier – which weighs the same as a small car- crushed his entire body and his mother Maria, 40, rushed outside to find him squashed underneath.
Desperate Maria, her mother Sharon Kosak, 63, and partner, Paul, 41, a decorator, managed to lift the gate off and they pulled Ethan to safety.
The 12-year-old’s left foot was hanging off and the bone could be seen sticking out of the skin at the bottom of his leg.
Incredibly, cool-headed former healthcare assistant Sharon managed to stem the blood flow and keep her grandson alive until air ambulance medics arrived.
They rushed him to the Royal London Hospital where surgeons managed to reattach his foot and save his life.
Ethan vowed it was only a matter of time before he is able to resume his martial arts training.
He said: “I do not remember much of the accident – I think I passed out with the pain.
“I can’t explain why, but I just love Taekwondo. It made me feel really confident and strong in myself.
“I will never give up and hope to be back in the ring again as soon as possible.”
He added: “My grandma saved my life. I am really grateful to her and I am so glad she was there.
“She used to work in accident and emergency so she knew what she was doing.”
Mum-of-four Maria added: “It is every mother’s worst nightmare to see your son in so much pain and have no idea how to save him.
“The gate is so big and heavy I never thought we would get him free.
“It was horrific. His foot was dangling from his leg. We called the ambulance straight away.
“Since the accident five men and the landlord have tried to put the gate back in place, but it has been too heavy to lift.
“It must have been sheer adrenaline that made the three of us lift it that day.”
Ethan, from Ickenham, north west London, has been learning Taekwondo for two years. He has a red belt with black tag and was in training for his full black belt when the incident happened on September 8.
He has been called up to join the GB team training squad just a month earlier..
The pain was so severe while he was waiting for the emergency services to arrive Ethan started hallucinating.
Bizarrely, at one point he even told his mother he chasing after butterflies and could see himself being born.
Surgeons spent four hours operating on him and fitted him with pins and screws to help reattach his foot.
Brave Ethan spent ten days in hospital and still has to have fortnightly check-ups to monitor the healing of his wound.
Medics believe his foot will recover enough for him to walk, although it will not be strong enough for him to fight for at least two years.
