From a very young age Craig had a passion for motorbikes and as he got older this continued to grow. He worked as a mechanic locally and had built his own bikes to race motocross. Then in an instant everything changed. Craig crashed whilst taking part in a vintage motocross race at Farleigh Castle which resulted in a life changing T3 spinal injury.
Whilst at the Spinal Unit Craig met with Ian and Bob, two of WheelPower’s Physical Activity Advisors who supported him during his rehabilitation.
“I had so many questions in my mind. Will I be able to walk again? Play football with my son? Walk hand in hand with my partner? What’s life going to be like for me now? Meeting people who had been in my position, who weren’t just surviving but thriving, changed everything. It gave me the hope I desperately needed. I’ve always believed that anything is possible, especially when you are show what can be done. So seeing experienced wheelchair users ‘in action’ gave me hope”.
“Ian’s wheelchair skills sessions were fantastic. He would take us around the block and you watched how he does stuff so effortlessly, and you think, if he can do it then so can I. After Christmas I got a pressure sore for most of January and Ian would come past to have a chat. For him to take the time and sit and talk to me was a real boost.”
During his time at Stoke Mandeville Craig participated in weekly sports sessions at the Stadium. “I found sport again, again something I was worried I would not be able to do”. Supported by physios, Craig tried a variety of different sports including table tennis, basketball, cricket and badminton.
“Shoulder stability Bob, as I called him was such a nice guy too and I recently met him at the wheelchair rugby tournament where my friend Mike was playing. He was trying to persuade me to play for the Stoke Mandeville Maulers! Being 6′ 4″ I had tried rugby before and squeezed myself into a chair. It was brilliant fun and one week my partner got to have a go with me as well!”
I now volunteer for the NHS at the local Wheelchair Service and it’s been really fantastic. I help with clinic appointments. People come in that have problems with their wheelchairs, they may need a new wheelchair set up or they may need a custom part made. I used to be a car mechanic, so I have the skills to weld tubes and pipes that means we can get people comfortable in their wheelchairs.
One of the best parts of it is when I am in the Clinic when the people that come in ignore the OT with their years of experience and just only speak to me! It’s quite comical and a little bit of a difficult one because I understand but I’m not an OT or a physiotherapist!”.
Craig isn’t just surviving - he’s giving back, helping others find their own path forward. But none of this happens without your support. By funding WheelPower, you’re not just supporting sport - you’re transforming lives.
