An Australian man has survived an avalanche in Canada thanks to an early surprise gift from his friends.
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Tom Oye, an Adelaide man, who has been living in the ski resort of Whistler for about three years, went snowboarding on Thursday morning.
But what he didn't expect was free-falling down the slopes and getting buried underneath a pile of snow.
What saved him was the avalanche airbag that his friends bought as an early present for his 30th birthday when he was back home late last year.
In a post on his Facebook page, Mr Oye explains what exactly the safety gear could do in the event of an avalanche.
"The idea is to make you the biggest object and tumble you to the top in a big slide, provide a little trauma protection while you're tumbling, and then create an air pocket if you do get buried to keep you alive a little longer until your rescued," he wrote.
Little he did expect to use it so soon.
In the Facebook video, filmed by his GoPro camera, Mr Oye can be heard opening his airbag while he tumbles down the slope in a flurry of snow.
The post has been viewed nearly a million times.
His dad, Peter, told Fairfax Media the family was grateful to Tom's friends for pooling the money for the safety equipment and saving his life.
"He got an early present from his Australian friends when he came back," Peter said.
"His best friend who had been living with him over there suggested to his mates that so many people die from avalanches it would be a really useful present for his 30th.
"So they pitched in – it was somewhere between $2500 to $3000.
"If he didn't have that backpack on he'd probably not be with us today."
Peter said this was the first time his youngest had been caught in an avalanche, but he had broken his leg snow-boarding 20 months ago.
"I was a little bit the same when I was younger, probably not quite so adventurous as him," Peter said.
"You are scared [for your son], but things can happen in your own backyard too.
"He lost his mother to breast cancer 10 years ago so I am happy for him he is out there living his life to the maximum because you don't know when your number is up."
Tom turns 30 on January 15.
