Paramedic bashed during charity ride holds no grudge against teen attackers
Off-duty paramedic Daniel Mansbridge was seven kilometres into a 1000-kilometre charity ride for children’s cancer when he was pushed off his bicycle and beaten up by a group of teenagers on the south coast of New South Wales.
The ambulance officer, who has 16 years’ experience was riding on the Windang Bridge, south of Wollongong when a teenager pushed him off his bike just after 11:00 am on Friday.
According to Mr Mansbridge, he approached the teenager to inform him how dangerous his actions were and followed him down some stairs under the bridge.
“His other two bigger mates saw me as a threat or something and started to punch me out, and when they finished I said to them I just wanted to have a word.”
He is now dealing with bruising on his face and a fracture under his eyes that requires surgery.
“I’m not going to hit kids,” said Mr Mansbridge, who went on to say that he finds it hard to understand what’s happening.
“Bloody hell this isn’t good – they were just kids. I was shocked, I didn’t know what to do. I was just setting out for a big long ride and the next thing I know I was in the hospital.”
He believes his attackers were also taken aback by the incident.
“Afterwards, they actually went and got my bike and brought my bike down and made sure I was OK.
“They said they were sorry and felt bad and helped me gather my things.
“It was very confusing,” he said.
“I think once I said to them, I just want to have a chat about how silly it was, they might have realised they’d gone too far.
“I think, to be honest, it started off with a kid showing off to his mates and this is the consequence.”
Mr Mansbridge said he chose not to retaliate and doesn’t want the kids to be charged.
“We all make mistakes … we can learn a lesson and just be a bit more tolerant of people and aware of the consequences of your actions.”
Chief Inspector Terry Morrow from the NSW Ambulance Service said the attack was extremely disturbing.
“We are really proud of Daniel and other people in our service, out there riding for the community to raise money for kids with cancer and these sort of things,” he said.
“All of a sudden to have one of our officers randomly hit on his bike trying to do the right thing, to receive the injuries that he has sustained, we are appalled by the whole situation.”
Mr Mansbridge said that once he recovers from the attack, he plans on completing the charity ride.