By Heather McNeill
The wife of paramedic Wesley Ackerman, who was critically injured in an ambulance crash on Monday, has released a statement saying the family is taking his recovery "one day at a time."
Mr Ackerman has been fighting for his life in Royal Perth Hospital for five days following a head-on collision involving an ambulance and ute.
On Friday he reportedly began responding to hospital staff by blinking, nodding and shaking hands.
Odile Ackerman has thanked the community, hospital staff and St John Ambulance for their "unbelievable" support.
Wesley Ackerman's wife has thanked the community and medical staff for their support.Credit: Facebook
"From Wesley's colleagues who were on scene, the hospital staff, all the staff and their families of St John Ambulance WA who have worked tirelessly by providing comfort, support and genuine care towards our family, I am at a loss for words to even begin to express my gratitude," she said.
"I am looking forward to being able to tell Wesley when he wakes up about all this and he will not be able comprehend it either.
"We will take one day at a time and we know that we have a long road ahead of us in terms of Wesley's recovery and appreciate that everyone has respected our need for privacy during this difficult time."
The 33-year-old father-of-three has been in a critical condition since a ute reportedly veered onto the wrong side of the road and hit the ambulance vehicle he was travelling in as a passenger on Monday.
Wes, left, is fighting for his life in Royal Perth Hospital following a head-on collision. Credit: St John Ambulance
The incident occurred around 5am near the intersection of Mundijong and Duckpond roads in Oldbury, 45 kilometres south of Perth.
Both vehicles were travelling more than 100 kilometres an hour at the time.
Mr Ackerman was trapped in the ambulance following the crash and was taken to hospital by the RAC rescue helicopter shortly afterwards.
The male driver of the ute and the female paramedic driving the ambulance on Monday morning were both hospital in stable conditions. No patients were in the ambulance at the time of the crash.
The 32-year-old ute driver has been charged with dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm and dangerous driving occasioning bodily harm.
Mr Ackerman's colleagues have set up a fundraising page to support him and the female paramedic driving the ambulance at the time of the crash.
The page has raised more than $34,000 in less than four days.