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South Wales Argus
04-07-2025
- South Wales Argus
Daughter of crash victim says filming accidents is wrong
Eve Thomas, from Hirwaun, was only 17 when her father, Nigel Thomas, was severely injured in a road accident. Footage of the crash was shared online along with speculation about his condition. Part of the campaign, 'It's not your story to tell', spearheaded by the South Wales Trauma Network, Ms Thomas wants to prevent others from experiencing similar trauma. She said: "I was on my way home from school when our bus was stopped because of a traffic accident. "I spotted my dad's bike and I went into complete denial... students on my bus started filming the scene on their phones which was wrong." Mr Thomas, now 65, was left with life-changing injuries and spent weeks in an induced coma. Ms Thomas, who now cares for her father, said: "If I can prevent just one family from experiencing what we went through, then sharing our story will have been worth it." Welsh Government minister for mental health and wellbeing, Sarah Murphy, said: "I commend Eve for her bravery in speaking out and hope this will encourage more people to call for help when they see an accident or incident."
Wales Online
03-07-2025
- Wales Online
Teen arrived at scene of dad's serious accident to find people filming it and posting videos
Teen arrived at scene of dad's serious accident to find people filming it and posting videos 'I spotted my dad's bike and I went into complete denial, but I knew it was his bike because I had put the stickers on it. Students on my bus started filming the scene on their phones which was wrong' Nigel Thomas (left) was left fighting for his life after being involved in a crash (Image: Submitted ) A young woman from Hirwaun, Rhondda Cynon Taf, has opened up about the trauma she faced after people posted footage online of a crash her dad was involved in before her family knew about what had happened. Eve Thomas was 17 when her father was left fighting for his life after being hit by a car. She said it was devastating to know that people had uploaded footage of her dad's crash to social media, with hundreds of people speculating about his condition. "I was on my way home from school when our bus was stopped because of a traffic accident,' Eve said, recalling the day of her dad's accident. 'I spotted my dad's bike and I went into complete denial, but I knew it was his bike because I had put the stickers on it. Students on my bus started filming the scene on their phones which was wrong. "When I eventually got home, I found out it was dad and I was devastated. He was riding home from work when he was hit by a car. He had life-changing injuries, we didn't know if he was going to make it. "He spent weeks in an induced coma and nine months in hospital. There were no words to explain how I felt, it didn't feel real. Article continues below "It was made so much worse because I knew people were sharing what they had filmed and speculating online about what had happened. My godmother had seen the story online and called us thinking dad had died." Eve, who is now 25, is part of a campaign to stop people filming at the scene on their mobile phones. She said: "That person in front of you is someone's parent, child, or friend. Would you want someone filming your loved one in their most vulnerable moment, or would you want them to call for help?" "The ways things were filmed and put on social media was a big part of how it all affected me after and a lot of my therapy to help me move on was based around that." Eve, who is now 25, is asking people to "take a minute" to think about the human impact of filming accidents and sharing content online (Image: Submitted ) The campaign, ' It's not your story to tell ,' is being spearheaded by the South Wales Trauma Network and has the support of many agencies including Welsh police forces and other blue light services. Eve's dad Nigel Thomas, a former delivery driver who is 65, is now living at his home and is cared for by Eve. She hopes her story will make people think twice before filming at crash scenes, shifting the focus from capturing shocking content to showing compassion for victims and their families. "If I can prevent just one family from experiencing what we went through, then sharing our story will have been worth it,' Eve said. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here Eve's experience and desire to prevent other people from going through the same sparked the idea for the campaign, which she co-produced with Andrea Bradley, operations manager of the South Wales Trauma Network. The network is made up of hospitals, emergency services and rehabilitation services across the region, working together to ensure patients with life-threatening or life-changing injuries receive the best possible treatment and care. Andrea Bradley is also a senior nurse with extensive trauma experience. Andrea said: 'We are extremely proud of Eve having the courage to tell her story, highlighting the issues of social media at the scene of an incident. It has an impact on the emergency services trying to deliver the best care possible in difficult circumstances. As you can see from Eve's story, it also has a lasting negative experience for our patients and their loved ones.' Welsh Government minister for mental health and wellbeing, Sarah Murphy, said: 'This is an incredibly powerful campaign. Eve and her father Nigel's story shows that what can seem like a moment's curiosity, a quick photograph and social media post, can cause long-lasting impacts and trauma for those on the other side of the lens. Article continues below "I commend Eve for her bravery in speaking out and hope this will encourage more people to call for help when they see an accident or incident.'
