A former Royal Marine who crashed into the ground when a skydiving manoeuvre went horrifically wrong is to compete in the Barcelona Ironman to thank the air ambulance that helped save his life.
Michael Oakes, 42, from Goodworth Clatford near Andover, was completing his 379th skydive at Skydive Netheravon when he hit the ground at around 40mph. Michael fractured his L4 spinal vertebrae – a life-threatening and life-changing injury, meaning he may never walk again.
The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance was diverted when it got the emergency call while flying back to its airbase in Thruxton. As they approached him, the air ambulance doctor and specialist paramedic could hear Michael screaming.
“It was a pain I had never felt before,” said Michael. “But when the Air Ambulance landed, I remember just thinking thank God, I’m safe now. I trusted them completely and knew that whatever happened next, the outcome would be the best it could possibly be.”
Michael was given advanced pain relief, before being immobilised and flown directly to the region’s major trauma centre, University Hospital Southampton.
In hospital, Michael was told he needed major surgery and that he wouldn't be able to do anything significant for 9 to 12 months.
“I remember tears rolling down my cheek,” said Michael. “My friends know me as someone that's always running, swimming and cycling. So, to have all of that taken away from me was monumental. My life would be entirely different.”
Michael’s determination to get back on his feet has seen him make a return to skydiving and one year after his accident he will line up for a 3.8km swim, 180km cycle, 42.2km run Ironman in Barcelona.
“I am so grateful that I can still do the things that I was doing before,” said Michael.
“I find it hard to articulate how grateful I am. My hope is that somehow, the crew go home every day knowing that they’ve tangibly impacted lives for the better. While you simply can't repay that sort of thing, I want to raise a little bit of money for the air ambulance for what they’ve given me.”
Michael will be competing on 6th October. For more information, visit Michael’s JustGiving page
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