A family in Co Antrim are reflecting on a harrowing ordeal at their home almost three years ago, where a back boiler in an open fire in their living room exploded.
Mark Drysdale was left injured following the incident at his home in Carrickfergus on December 14, 2022, that resulted in him suffering burns and being placed in an induced coma. His youngest son, Joshua, who was just ten-years-old at the time, carried him from the wreckage out onto the street where he was intubated before being transported to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.
Now, two and a half years after the ordeal, the Drysdale family are continuing to recover from the incident and have paid tribute to the emergency services, including the charity Air Ambulance NI, who helped them on that night.
Read more: How local man has found community and connection through run club
Read more: 'Life has changed so much': Mum's struggle to adjust with misdiagnosed condition
Speaking to Belfast Live, Mark's wife Deborah Drysdale recalled the "unforeseen tragedy." She said: "Dylan, our older son, and I were in the driveway about to go out, and he went to run back into the house to get a pound for the trolley, and the window literally exploded right at his face. Everything came right out in front of him.
"Mark had heard a funny noise and went towards the fire side of the room to check it out. When he realised it was coming from the fire, he turned to run but the back boiler exploded. He was thrown across the living room, around five metres.
"The fire itself imploded into the ceiling and walls, there was a hole in the middle of one of Mark's eyelids from the coals. What the doctors at the Royal did to help him was nothing short of amazing. There were embers on Mark's face and all the cold air was making the fire relight on his face.
"Joshua was in the house and when Mark got thrown across the room, he screamed out for help. God love him, he was only 10 years old, and he managed to carry his daddy up over his shoulder and got him to the front doorstep."
Reflecting on the aftermath of the incident, Deborah said it was like a movie scene. She has praised the emergency services for saving her husband's life.
"It was like a bomb scene from a movie with smoke, lights and sirens everywhere, with all of the emergency services trying to help," she explained
"But it was the Air Ambulance Helicopter Emergency Medical Service team whose swift and decisive actions literally saved Mark's life. On our very street, in amongst the chaos, they intubated him in the ambulance, stabilising his condition before transporting him to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.
"Their relentless dedication did not waver as they continued to work tirelessly on Mark, ensuring he was safely transferred to the ICU in an induced coma. Their expertise and unwavering commitment were pivotal in those critical moments, and Mark would not be here today without having had their vital medical expertise at the scene."
As part of the recovery process, Mark has been supported by Dr Keith Kerrigan from the Clinical Health Psychology at the Belfast Trust, who suggested going back to speak to the emergency services who attended the scene.
Deborah said: "We started with the fire service and when we went to see those guys who came to the house that night, every single one who was there came to meet us. We are so thankful to Brian and his crew. They all said they didn't think Mark would make it. They said they hadn't seen anything like that before.
"Just before Christmas last year we had the opportunity to visit the Air Ambulance NI base. This was no small feat for Mark as the enormity of the medics' contribution to his survival weighs heavily on his heart, making this act of gratitude a significant milestone."
Mark has also been giving back to the Air Ambulance NI to express gratitude for those who helped save his life. In 2023, he undertook a sponsored walk alongside Carrickfergus Model Primary School and at the start of 2025, he did the Air Ambulance NI’s Step Up Challenge, walking 10,000 steps daily for the month of January.
Looking back on the impact of the incident on Mark and the family, Deborah said: "It has been a really bumpy road over the past two years. We all go to the Family Trauma Centre in Belfast, they're amazing.
"It was such a traumatic journey, being too afraid to go back into your own home, and your children being too afraid to go back too. We don't sit in that living room anymore, and had to get fireplaces and chimneys taken out. If a kitchen cupboard closes too loudly, everybody jumps.
"In the face of adversity, and the trauma he endured Mark has demonstrated that healing is not just physical but deeply emotional and psychological. His journey reminds us that while the road to recovery is long and often arduous, the support of loved ones, professionals, and those around us can help illuminate the path."
You can find out more about Air Ambulance NI and donate to their services by clicking here.
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.
