The well-known 52-year-old was critically injured after his push bike and a car collided on Ocean Drive north of Lake Cathie on Saturday afternoon.

He was initially transported to Port Macquarie Base Hospital but was eventually airlifted to Newcastle’s John Hunter Hospital with numerous broken bones and lacerations.

Mr Wright is widely known within Ironman, surf life saving and lifeguard circles.

His wife Leanne said her husband will remain sedated for a few days while medical staff work on his many injuries ‘basically from head to toe’.

“His wonderful team are consistently monitoring him and operations are continuing. Though stabilised he is still critical and considered a very very lucky man,” she said.

“The love and support is so appreciated and I look forward to sharing them with him when he wakes up.”

The gofundme page was opened by friend Melinda Cockshutt and will be used for his extensive rehabilitation and recovery.

“Tony is a tower of strength as he lives fully for his family and local community,” Ms Cockshutt says on the site.

“He gives so much of his time and expertise to Surf Life Saving and Ironman triathons in a leadership capacity. Tony's easy going positive great humoured and loveable nature also reaches hundreds of children on a daily basis as he dishes out respect to all the children on his school bus runs.

“He's a Man with a Ute always doing jobs for many in our town. 

“Tony is an all round top bloke and we would love to be able to ease some of his pain for Tony and his beautiful family - wife Leanne, daughter Tayla and son Joe, during this extremely traumatic time and give them a little bit more room to heal with the best way we know how.

“Tony is going to require several operations and a long period of rehabilitation.”

The site is: https://www.gofundme.com/tonywright2444