When reflecting on the rescue, Mossy (as he is more commonly known) said it was something he never thought he would experience and he has great respect for rescue helicopter pilot Neil Dodds and St John paramedics.

“I was out there for about six hours and when the chopper arrived it was pitch black. Neil landed the chopper within an arm’s length of me and before I knew it the team had me sorted, in the chopper and on my way to the hospital.”

The rescue wasn’t without its challenges and Neil would later describe it as one of the most challenging jobs he has ever had to do at night.

“We were forced to land with just inches between the skids and the patient and the hillside just a few feet from the rotor. Without the night vision goggles, we would have been forced to land at the farmhouse and transfer Mossy on quad bike,” said Neil.

The experience has left the Mossmans determined to educate people about the need for GPS personal locators.

“Kate had to run for an hour over pretty rugged terrain to get to a phone at the farmhouse. If she wasn’t with me she would have figured out something was wrong when I didn’t come back from work but would have had no idea where I was.

“Hopefully people have learnt something from my accident and purchased a ResQLink PLB, surely your life is worth more than $700 and it’s a peace of mind for everyone,” said Mossy.

“Everyone knows the rescue helicopter service is something that we need in Gisborne and that is why I have always supported it.”