A ski trip in Sälen ended in blood and panic when 22-year-old Fred cut open his thigh.
Then the piste guard Adam, 21, stepped forward – and made a heroic effort that is now widely praised.
– Without him it could have gone really badly, says Fred’s father Fredrik Fritzon Ohlsson.
The article in brief
Fred, 22, seriously injured himself on the ski slope in Sälen.
Piste guard Adam, 21, acted quickly and saved the situation.
Adam’s contribution is now widely praised: “Complete king”.
Dusk had begun to fall in Sälen and the hill was almost empty. Fred Fleetwood, 22, was riding ahead of his father Fredrik, 59, when he suddenly lost control.
– I saw that he tumbled around, but it happens. It was only when I arrived that he said: “Dad, I’ve hurt myself. You need to call an ambulance.”
Fredrik looked down at his son’s leg.
– Then I see blood pulsing straight out through the trousers. The snow around him was completely red. It was so fucking shocking.
Fred had fallen on his own skid. The freshly sharpened steel edge had cut straight through ski pants, underwear and deep into the thigh – almost down to the leg.
Took command
With great effort they made it down to the start of the lift. There was the piste guard Adam Dovelius.
– He stepped in and took over the whole situation immediately, says Fredrik.
Adam brought Fred into the staff cabin, laid him on the floor and unzipped his pants. With towels and his entire body weight, he pressed against the wound to stop the blood flow, while an ambulance was called.
– He directed his colleagues and managed everything calmly and methodically, without stress.
Although Fred lost some blood, he was in good spirits when the ambulance arrived.
Photo: Private
When the ambulance finally arrived, it was Adam who met the medical staff. After the paramedics had taken over, he turned to Fredrik.
– I was totally terrified. Then he came over and gave me a hug. A 20-year-old comforting a 59-year-old man, says Fredrik.
– He was really the adult in the room.
“Raise his salary”
Fred was stitched up with many stitches at the hospital in Sälen. The damage missed pulses and larger muscles and the prognosis is good.
– It could hardly have gone better, given the circumstances. And that is largely thanks to Adams.
Fredrik chose to write a post on Facebook to publicly pay tribute to the piste guard. It has gone viral, with over 9,000 reactions.
– It is so easy to dismiss young people today. But then there are guys like this, heroes who inspire hope for the future, says Fredrik.
– Raise his salary. He was a complete king.
A few days after the accident, when the Express reaches piste hero Adam Dovelius, most of the shock has subsided.
– It is clear that it is fun that people appreciate it. At the same time, it feels a bit overwhelming, says Adam Dovelius, referring to all the attention he has received.
He had recently worked as a paramedic and trained on just that type of injury. At the same time he tried to keep Fred calm.
– It is often the fear that is the worst. The pain is manageable, but the panic can take over completely.
Despite the blood, Adam could see pretty quickly that the injury was not life-threatening.
– When I realized it myself, I could also tell them. “It’s calm, this will go well”.
