Surgeons thought about taking Travis's face off before they saved him with a 'crazy idea'
US Marine Corporal Travis Reyes survived a fatal Osprey aircraft crash in Australia's Tiwi Islands in 2023, thanks to a series of life-saving medical interventions. Australian medical teams, including specialists from The Alfred Hospital, performed critical procedures at the crash site and during his transfer to Melbourne. A novel treatment approach, including ECMO support, ultimately stabilized him for transport back to the United States.
- ▪Travis Reyes was one of 20 Marines who survived the August 2023 Osprey crash in the Tiwi Islands, which killed three crew members.
- ▪Emergency physician Dr David McCreary performed life-saving procedures at the crash site, including inserting scalpels into Travis's chest to restart his heart.
- ▪Travis was placed on an ECMO machine by a team from The Alfred Hospital and airlifted from Darwin to Melbourne for advanced trauma care.
- ▪The medical team considered radical measures, including removing his face, before opting for an innovative treatment strategy.
- ▪The crash was attributed to human error and a poor safety culture within the operating unit.
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This Australian medical first from The Alfred saved US Marine Travis Reyes's life after fatal military aircraft crashNBy Norman HermantABy Alison Caldwell7.30Topic:Medical Procedures1h ago1 hours agoSun 3 May 2026 at 2:03amTravis Reyes was critically injured when a US Marine tilt-rotor aircraft crashed in the Tiwi Islands in August 2023. (ABC News: Bradley Fulton)abc.net.au/news/australian-medical-first-us-marine-life-saved-beat-odds/106629884Link copiedShareShare articleIn rural Maryland, USA, Travis Reyes savours the simple things. A cup of coffee on the deck with his wife. A walk in the nearby woods. All of it sweeter because, against all odds, somehow, he is still alive."I think most of it is stubbornness. A little too stubborn to die," Travis told 7.30.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Net.