A 13-year-old Ōamaru boy whose dream was to become a ski medic will have to use a wheelchair for at least a year after a serious skiing accident. 

Charlie Lane broke both his legs and back after a fall of about 8m on Mt Ruapehu, according to family friend Julianne Morris. 

Morris said Charlie was initially at Palmerston North Hospital, but has been moved to Waikato Hospital where he is waiting to have an operation on his back. 

“Both of his legs are absolutely broken,” Morris told the Herald. 

“His right ankle was pushed up into his leg, so they don’t even know what will happen with his ankle. 

“They didn’t know that he had a broken back until they fixed his legs and then they went for another scan and found he had actually had a broken back too.” 

Morris, who created a Givealittle page for Charlie and his mother, Emily Lane, said he would have to be in a wheelchair for at least a year after his surgery. 

“Charlie is a just an amazing, amazing, amazing, smart, intelligent man who has found his love for skiing,” Morris said, “and he didn’t really know what he wanted to be and what he wanted to do. 

“And so he’s finally found his love for life, which was skiing and he decided he wanted to be a ski medic and that was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. 

“It’s very sad that this has happened on something that he loves so much.” 

Morris first met Charlie and his mum about eight years ago when they moved to the Āwhitu Peninsula and they have stayed good friends despite them moving to the South Island. 

Charlie and Morris’s children have also remained friends and she told the Herald that they are “absolutely devastated” by the news. 

Morris said that the funds raised for the family would go towards helping with travel costs to the hospital, household bills and medical needs. 

“Emily was just one of these people who if anybody was hurt, she would go to their aid. 

“She would just give everything to help people, so this is where I feel like her good nature will hopefully pay off dividends even more.”