The son of a beloved reality TV veteran was turned away from hospital days before being hit by a train because he had not harmed himself.
Drew Dowsley miraculously survived after he was struck by the train and lay by the tracks for seven hours before he was discovered by emergency services.
He has undergone multiple operations in a Sydney hospital after losing his left hand, injuring his right one and suffering a shattered spine that caused bleeding on the brain.
Drew is the son of Helen Dowsley who has worked on reality TV shows such as The Bachelor, Farmer Wants A Wife and The Masked Singer.
Family friend Victoria St John revealed Drew had been suffering mental health issues at the time.
‘In the days leading up to the accident, Drew was in psychosis and sought help for his mental health at a Hospital but was turned away and told they couldn’t help him unless he hurt himself or someone else,’ she said.
‘He was found seven hours after the accident, and while he miraculously survived, the road to recovery will be long and challenging, both physically and mentally.’
Ms St John said the incident ‘could have been avoided’.
Drew, who is the son of reality TV show make-up artist Helen Dowsley, miraculously survived after he was struck by the train and lay by the tracks for seven hours before he was discovered by emergency services
‘Drew is undergoing surgeries every second day and faces a long recovery from this horrific ordeal,’ she said.
She has since launched a GoFundMe to go towards Drew’s medical bills, with almost $40,000 raised so far.
‘He has shown remarkable resilience, surviving despite severe injuries,’ Ms St John said.
‘The road to recovery will be long and challenging, both physically and mentally.’
She praised Drew’s mum for being ‘kind-hearted and selfless’ who ‘always lifts others with her positivity’.
‘She is the one who counsels us through our life dramas on set, and now it’s our turn to stand by her and Drew,’ she wrote.
‘We are aiming to raise $50,000 to assist with ongoing medical and legal expenses, as well as to help Helen provide the care Drew needs while balancing her work commitments and caring for her 95-year-old mother.’
Ms Dowsley is now making the daily commute from the NSW Southern Highlands to Sydney to be by her son’s bedside.
Helen Dowsley (pictured with Abbie Chatfield) has worked on shows such as The Bachelor , Farmer Wants A Wife and The Masked Singer
Australian TV stars such as Abbie Chatfield have rallied around Ms Dowsley and her family in the wake of the incident.
Chatfield took to Instagram in tears to explain Drew had been suffering a psychotic episode for a number of days before the train incident.
‘He presented in hospital, but was turned away because he had not yet harmed himself or others,’ she said.
‘That night he went in front of a train and is severely injured.’
Describing the make-up artist as ‘the most generous and beautiful woman,’ Chatfield said Ms Dowsley always took care of everyone on set.
The Gofundme campaign has since been shared by many of the stars who have worked with Ms Dowsley including Carla From Bankstown, Alex Nation and Brittney Weldon.
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