Paratrooper who survived Iraq and East Timor wakes up from a coma after his mates hang the regiment's flag over his hospital bed - and now he'll lead their 20th Anzac Day march
- Army vet Brad Fewson is supposed to lead his local Anzac Day march this year
- The Wagga Wagga man was deployed to East Timor for Interfet 20 years ago
- He was admitted to ICU on Friday after days of seizures caused by brain injury
- After being hooked up to life support and sedated into a coma, he woke up
- Mr Fewson, who took courage from his regiment's flag, has now left hospital
- 'I ain't dead yet,' he told Facebook friends, explaining he 'still has Anzac'
As Army veteran Brad Fewson laid comatose in a hospital bed this week, his regiment flag hung above him, giving him hope and fuelling a miracle.
And after four days in ICU, the Wagga Wagga man woke up and left the hospital - determined to lead his local Anzac Day march for the 20th anniversary of his regiment's deployment to East Timor.
The former paratrooper was admitted to hospital and put into an induced coma on April 19, after 10 days of constant seizures caused by a traumatic brain injury sustained on the battlefield.
In a bid to comfort him, his friends grabbed the flag from his home and draped it over the television in his hospital room.
His wife Laura said amidst all the hustle and bustle of the ICU, her husband was able to catch a glimpse of the flag that means so much to him.
'In a brief moment of clarity before he was put on life support again and between episodes, Brad saw it and was touched, as was I,' Mrs Fewson wrote in an emotional Facebook post about her husband's condition.
Army veteran Brad Fewson (pictured) has spent the past four days fighting to stay alive so he can lead his local Anzac Day march. His wife Laura says he was inspired by his regiment flag, which friends hung in his hospital room
Mr Fewson served in East Timor and was a private military contractor in Iraq. He has been a paratrooper and an infantryman during his deployments
Mr Fewson, a father-of-two, suffers chronic seizures, caused by more than 150 traumatic brain injuries.
On April 19, he was rushed to hospital. His wife, Laura, said he had suffered 'a horrid 10 days of constant dystonic seizures and respiratory failure where I had to perform CPR more times than I can remember'.
Mr Fewson had been unable to sleep for more than three days in a row leading up to him being admitted to hospital, where doctors struggled to stabilise him.
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Doctors had to sedate him into an induced coma and he was put on life support and moved to the intensive care unit the next morning.
The former infantryman and paratrooper served in the Australian Army for 21 years. He was deployed during Interfet and Operation Astute in East Timor. He then worked in Iraq as a private military contractor for the United States.
Mr Fewson also spent three years on the NSW police force.
He believes his military and police work and playing contact sport left him with the brain injuries, and said the major damage came from 13 roadside bomb blasts during his time in combat, and a 100m fall down a ravine.
Mr Fewson had suffered 10 days of constant seizures, caused by traumatic brain injury he sustained from roadside explosives while in combat
Me Fewson is in a wheelchair and would likely need to be pushed if he is to lead the march on Thursday morning
Mr Fewson's wife Laura says her husband is 'holding out' to lead the Anzac march on Thursday, and is devastated he may not be able to.
'At this stage, Brad will still be on life support on Anzac day,' she said in an emotional Facebook post.
'I mentioned to the doctor about this and said it is what he's holding out for - just trying to make Anzac day and lead the March. The doctor, who has been amazing, said we can see how he goes over the next few days and talk more about it then,' she said.
'Regardless, Brad's health is more important so we will do what we need to do. If Brad can't make it, our boys and I will march for him.'
Mr Fewson discharged himself from hospital on Tuesday, and appeared determined to march on Thursday.
In a Facebook post to friends, Mr Fewson said: 'I'm still alive, I ain't dead yet... still have Anzac'.
Wagga RSL Sub Branch President, David Gardiner, said the members were all hoping Mr Fewson would be at the head of the march, holding the eternal flame.
'We wish him all the best, we certainly hope he can march,' Mr Gardiner said.
The father-of-two discharged himself from hospital on Tuesday, and it is hoped he will be able to lead the march come Thursday morning
