A Camperdown man says he owes his life to an alert police officer.
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Nathan Dixon was driving to work on a farm near Cobden in September when two kangaroos jumped out in front of him.
The 27-year-old said he did the only thing he could.
"There was no getting around them," Mr Dixon said.
"I just tried to stay in my lane. I hit one of them and it went underneath the car. I remember going sideways down the road and the next thing I remember is waking up in a ditch on the side of the road."
Mr Dixon said he couldn't move.
Luckily for him, Cobden police Sergeant Heather Morris was on her way to a course in Halls Gap and saw a dead kangaroo in the middle of Cross Forrest Road.
When she passed it, she noticed skid marks and decided to turn around and investigate. "She came along within about five minutes, I think," Mr Dixon said.
"I was very lucky. I owe her my life." Mr Dixon was rushed to hospital and flown to The Alfred in Melbourne.
He was placed in an induced coma for two weeks suffering from 11 broken ribs, five vertebrae compression fractures, a broken collar bone, broken sternum, two punctured lungs and a grade three splenic laceration.
Mr Dixon's partner Danielle Delaney was by his side and has been his biggest supporter.
The couple's two children Thomas, 5, and Isabelle, 2, came down to the hospital to see their dad after he woke up from the coma.
Mr Dixon is now home in Camperdown recovering.
He said the first time he got out of his hospital bed, he struggled to walk about 10 steps.
Mr Dixon is now up and about but has been told he cannot return to work for 12 months due to his injuries.
"I've got a bit of pain here and there but it's not too bad," he said. "I can walk around." Mr Dixon's VT Commodore was a write-off after the accident. He said the accident made him appreciate each day more than he ever had.
Mr Dixon said he had not yet had the chance to personally thank Sergeant Morris.
"I'm so thankful to her," he said.
Mr Dixon urged other drivers to be aware of hazards on roads, including wildlife.
It is the couple's second major tragedy in 12 months, as they lost heir house in the St Patrick's Day fires.
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