By Helen Riethof
April 30 was not my day to die, although a monster of a gum tree tried its best to do me in.
It was about 8.30am on what was a cold, still start to the day. I was enjoying my morning walk down Baynes Park Road, Monbulk when I heard a loud crack way up high in a gigantic old eucalypt on the opposite and high side of the road.
My first thought was that the tree was about to drop a branch and that it would almost certainly impact me as the tree was leaning way over the road. I had begun to hurry when I heard an even louder crack that extended down the central trunk.
Instantly, I began running for my life, sure that the tree was going to fall and that I would not, could not possibly, outrun the monster.
As I ran, the tree was smashing and disintegrating itself behind me and surrounding me with flying debris.
Finally, I realised that I was surrounded by what must have been the canopy foliage and I thought ‘maybe I’m going to make it.’ Then, something hit me hard and I was sent flying out of the whiplashing foliage before landing hard and skidding along the nature strip – thankfully not the concrete footpath.
To the three locals who provided aid that morning, I thank you for everything you did for me. You were all calm, gentle, practical and exceedingly kind.
A big thankyou to the Ambulance team who managed to transport me around the tree to their ambulance and to the William Angliss ED team who were all so kind, caring and very efficient, ensuring that nothing was broken.
It seemed I had survived with nothing worse than bruises and grazes.
