'There was blood everywhere': Boy, 5, almost loses an eye after accidentally impaling a metal hook in his face when he collided with a clothes rack at Target
- Saad Shahzad was shopping with his mother and sister in Parramatta, Sydney
- His face smashed into the metal clothes rack and the hook got lodged in his eye
- Saad's mother pulled his face off the hook and blood poured everywhere
- He was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery and has made full recovery
A five-year-old boy almost lost his eye when he accidentally impaled a metal hook through his face after colliding with a clothes rack at Target.
Saad Shahzad was shopping with his mother and sister in Parramatta, west Sydney last month when he saw a shirt on the floor and bent down abruptly to pick it up.
His face smashed into the metal clothes rack and the hook got lodged in his eye socket as he wailed in agony.
Saad's mother screamed in horror and tried to pull her son's face off the hook.
When she eventually freed him, blood poured from his open wound before she vomited and fainted in shock.
Injured: Saad Shahzad (pictured) was shopping with his mother and sister in Parramatta, west Sydney last month when he saw a shirt on the floor and bent down abruptly to pick it up
His face smashed into the metal clothes rack (pictured is the rack where the incident happened) and the hook got lodged in his eye socket as he wailed in agony
Saad's mother screamed in horror and tried to pull her son's face off the hook. Pictured: Saad before the accident
Saad, who was temporarily blinded in one eye, was rushed to hospital where he had emergency surgery for a torn eye duct.
He is now recovering well and has no lasting injuries.
Saad's father Adnan, who was at work at the time of the accident, told how his son was lucky not to lose his eye.
Recalling the horrifying incident on the evening before Good Friday, he told Daily Mail Australia: 'Saad was at the hanger and bent down to pick up a shirt which had fallen on the floor.
'He got his eye stuck on the hook and his mother panicked and pulled him free.
'Blood was pouring out of his eye and he was shouting and my wife was in shock too.
'There was so much blood she thought he had lost his eye.'
Saad's father Adnan (pictured with Saad and his sister), who was at work at the time of the accident, told how his son was lucky not to lose his eye
Saad's seven-year-old sister raised the alarm with Target staff but he said they were slow to respond and declined to report the incident.
Luckily a kind lady helped Saad and his mother to the Westfield Parramatta Shopping Centre's medical centre where he was treated.
Saad was then rushed to Westmead Children's Hospital where he was given emergency surgery and regained full sight.
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'I am extremely thankful to the amazing doctors who helped my son. The medical care he received was excellent and he has made a brilliant recovery,' said Mr Shahzad.
'The doctor even called Saad on his fifth birthday last week to check in and say happy birthday.'
Mr Shahzad said his wife, 35, is still in shock and has been unable to enter a shopping mall since.
Saad (left before the accident and right after), who was blinded in his hurt eye, was rushed to hospital where he had emergency surgery for a torn eye duct
The 37-year-old, who works for children's charity Barnando's and has been living in Sydney with his family for three years, is now campaigning for the design of the 'dangerous' hooks to be changed.
'I want these things to be taken seriously - if these hooks are dangerous why don't we do something about it,' he said.
Target told Daily Mail Australia it is investigating the incident.
A spokesman said: 'At Target Australia the safety of our customers and their families is our highest priority. We are sorry to hear of what occurred with the customer in our store and are taking this seriously.
'We encourage the customer to make contact with our customer care team on 1300 753 567 or via Target's website as it is important to us that we follow this up.'
Saad (pictured with his sister) was taken to Westmead Children's Hospital where he was given emergency surgery and regained full sight
