September 2026
David speaks with Spinal Research about rebuilding life after a spinal cord injury, returning to the activities he loves, and why he remains hopeful about the future.
Before his injury, David lived a busy life. Outside his career on the railway, his biggest passions were football and motorcycling. He spent years travelling on two wheels, riding across North, Central and South America, and even completing an overland trip from the UK to Beijing.
Everything changed in an instant when David was involved in a motorcycle collision while travelling to a football match. In this crash, two of his vertebrae were crushed and his spinal cord was damaged. He had sustained incomplete T4-T5 spinal cord injury.
David spent three months in Stoke-on-Trent before being transferred to Stanmore for specialist rehabilitation. While the physical demands of recovery were significant, he says the uncertainty of his situation was one of the hardest things to deal with.
Having lived such an active life before his injury, David struggled with the possibility that many of the things he loved might no longer be possible.
“Up until that point, I didn’t even know if I was ever going to walk again.”
“I was finding it really hard to cope with the thought that all of it was over.”
The turning point came during a diagnosis and prognosis meeting at Stanmore, where he learned that his injury was incomplete and that there was a possibility of regaining some mobility.
“That was the happiest day I’d had in four months. I thought, if there is a chance that I can get mobile again, then I’m going to do everything in my power.”
From that moment on, David focused everything he had on rehabilitation and learning more about spinal cord injury. Alongside his physiotherapy and occupational therapy sessions, he spent as much time as possible in the gym, determined to give himself every opportunity to recover.
Today, David can walk with a stick for shorter distances and uses crutches when he needs extra support. Although there are still limitations, he tries to focus on how far he has come since leaving hospital.
One goal in particular, kept him motivated throughout rehabilitation. David was determined to get back on a motorcycle.
“Without that dream, I don’t know if I would still be here.”
Against the expectations of some friends and family, David eventually returned to riding. Recently, he completed an eight-day trip around Scotland by motorbike. While he no longer takes some of the risks he once did and has adapted how he travels, being back on two wheels has allowed him to reconnect with an important part of his identity.
Life with a spinal cord injury still brings daily challenges. For David, bladder management has had one of the biggest impacts on his independence and confidence. Planning journeys, social events and days out often requires careful preparation.
“If I could get back to normal with that, that would be such a big thing.”
David remains optimistic about the future. He believes advances in spinal cord injury research will continue and hopes that future generations will benefit from treatments that are not available today.
The support he received during rehabilitation inspired him to share his experiences and give something back to the spinal cord injury community.
“I want to give back because so much was given to me.”
By sharing his story of rebuilding life after spinal cord injury, David hopes to raise awareness of the realities of living with a spinal cord injury and support research that could one day help restore function and improve quality of life for people affected by paralysis.
