A group of my mates and I had been out quad bike riding through Tongariro National Park. We had stopped for a final catch-up before riding the last section back to camp, then left together in convoy.

As I came around a left-hand bend, I saw Ryan lying on the ground beside his overturned bike. It was immediately clear that something was seriously wrong.

As the rest of the group arrived, everyone moved quickly. We placed Ryan in the recovery position, activated the ResQLink PLB, and immediately began CPR. In that moment, the priority was simple: get help on the way as fast as possible and do everything we could for our friend.

While CPR continued, we were in contact with RCCNZ. They confirmed that help was on the way and gave us an estimated arrival time of around 30 minutes. About 50 meters further down the track, there was a clearing, so we used it to prepare for the helicopter’s arrival. We set up bike lights to help the rescue helicopter locate us and safely winch the paramedic down.

We stayed focused on doing everything we could for Ryan while we waited for the helicopter to arrive. When it finally came into view, it brought a huge sense of relief.

The paramedic reached Ryan and took over care from the group. Despite everyone’s efforts, we did not get the outcome we were desperately hoping for. Our dear friend Ryan sadly passed away.

We were all left broken afterwards. It was an incredibly difficult experience, and nothing can make the loss of a friend easier to accept. However, thanks to the ResQLink PLB, we were able to alert emergency services quickly and give Ryan the very best chance of survival we possibly could have in such a remote location.

Although it did not make things easier to come to terms with at the time, we later learned that Ryan had suffered a heart attack.

I had only just purchased the PLB for my father’s 77th birthday the year before, and I am very glad I had it with me that day.