“I also cut the radial nerve which lifts your wrist and fingers, and damaged the ulnar as well; I damaged three out of the five nerves in my arm,” Mr Higgins said.

As fast as his luck ran out with the accident, it returned with three trusted workers; Pat Killalea, Ted Toohey, and Tony Knight immediately helping him before a nearby ambulance raced him to hospital.

“My wife Alana came in with our newborn and was told by emergency that she had 15 seconds ‘to say goodbye’ before I went into surgery as they weren’t sure I was going to make it,” Mr Higgins said.

“It was life threatening for the first few hours, and there was a risk I’d lose my arm, and then after I had nine hours of surgery to repair the wound, the prognosis was I wouldn’t have much movement in my arm, ever,” Mr Higgins said.

Fast-forward nearly seven months and Xavier Higgins has stunned doctors with his progress.

“We’re well ahead of where we thought we’d be,”

“The radial nerve has grown back down past the elbow, about 15-20 centimetres, so now I can hold my wrist up,” Mr Higgins said.

Wife Alana gave daily updates on her husband’s condition on social media.

“Today he even surprised our surgeon Dr Lawson with his progress. The Radial nerve is the nerve that was severed so the fact it's turning on is pretty bloody amazing,” Mrs Higgins wrote. 

“Eventually it will hopefully grow down so I can get finger extension, to allow me to open my hand, as at the moment I can’t,” Mr Higgins said.

Riverina Hand Therapy senior occupational therapist Louise Brown said Mr Higgins’ progress has been “exceptional”.

“The combined effect of the calibre of people who looked after him in the emergency department, the exceptional ability of the surgeon and team in Sydney,

“The fact Xavier is exceptionally motivated which makes him a pleasure to work with, and his incredible support network from family and friends,” Ms Brown said.

If his recovery rate continues, the future looks bright.

“I was always confident I’d get some movement back, now I’m confident I’ll get 90 per cent movement back,”

Mr Higgins said he and his family have been overwhelmed by the generosity of Wagga locals; from builders who helped find work for his staff while he was in Sydney, to food runs from Mater Dei Primary, and the kindness of strangers.

“From a work point of view, builders Jari Nielson, Brad Roberson and Jai Warden helped my boys progress with work while I was away,”

“Obviously with my family, Mater Dei cooked I don’t know how many meals, it was ridiculous in a great way,”

“There’s been heaps of support,” Mr Higgins said.

Xavier Higgins is now a poster boy for the Blood Bank, after he lost 75 per cent of his blood in the accident.

“I’m part of a Red 25 Club, and our club is XHB 272; which stands for Xavier Higgins Building and the number is the date of the accident,

“We have mates who come in and donate, and the blood bank is having a major shortage at the moment due to so many people down with the ‘flu,” Mr Higgins said. 

As well as the changes to his health, Mr Higgins says his perspective on what’s important has also changed.

“Prior to the accident I was working ten hour days, six days a week. Not now.” 

“Now, spending time with my family is the priority,” he said.