J. P. McNamara
On Saturday, April 22, 2006, John McNamara climbed aboard Three Lions for the 2.45 hurdle race at Bangor. The race was worth £6,181.
On Saturday, April 22, 2006, John McNamara climbed aboard Three Lions for the 2.45 hurdle race at Bangor. The race was worth £6,181.
It was to be John's last.
It was to be John's last.
At the fourth from home, Three Lions tripped and crashed to the ground, taking John with him.
At the fourth from home, Three Lions tripped and crashed to the ground, taking John with him.
It was the start of a journey which took him from Bangor racecourse to Wrexham Hospital, to the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic and District Hospital in Oswestry, and, finally, the International Spinal Injuries and Rehabilitation Centre at the Royal Buckinghamshire Hospital.
It was the start of a journey which took him from Bangor racecourse to Wrexham Hospital, to the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic and District Hospital in Oswestry, and, finally, the International Spinal Injuries and Rehabilitation Centre at the Royal Buckinghamshire Hospital.
Recalling that last fall he said: "I remember hitting the ground, looking at the horse and thinking that if I had any brains I'd get up quick. He was lying beside me and I knew he could roll over any second. I couldn't move anything, though. I knew something wasn't right.
Recalling that last fall he said: "I remember hitting the ground, looking at the horse and thinking that if I had any brains I'd get up quick. He was lying beside me and I knew he could roll over any second. I couldn't move anything, though. I knew something wasn't right.
"I told the racecourse doctor that I was fully aware of what was going on, and that I knew what time it was, but that, for the love of God, I couldn't move anything.
"I told the racecourse doctor that I was fully aware of what was going on, and that I knew what time it was, but that, for the love of God, I couldn't move anything.
"That evening flashed by. I was flat on my back with a head collar on. The doctor kept asking me if I could feel this, if I could feel that. I told her that I could feel something very faintly on my foot, but it felt like it was 20 miles away. Basically, there was no feeling at all.
"That evening flashed by. I was flat on my back with a head collar on. The doctor kept asking me if I could feel this, if I could feel that. I told her that I could feel something very faintly on my foot, but it felt like it was 20 miles away. Basically, there was no feeling at all.
"I got frustrated with the questions, and told her that I might feel something if she took my bloody boots off. As soon as I said that, Josh Byrne, who had come with me, told me that I was as naked as the day I was born. I couldn't believe it. I hadn't realised that they had cut off my back protector. Looking back, I'm surprised I wasn't shitting myself more.
"I got frustrated with the questions, and told her that I might feel something if she took my bloody boots off. As soon as I said that, Josh Byrne, who had come with me, told me that I was as naked as the day I was born. I couldn't believe it. I hadn't realised that they had cut off my back protector. Looking back, I'm surprised I wasn't shitting myself more.
"I had no idea how serious it was. If someone had said 'spinal cord' to me when it happened, I was that ignorant that I would have asked them if I had one." (Luckily, the 27-year-old jockey had not sustained a complete spinal cord injury and, as such, not all his neural pathways and nerve connections were damaged.)
"I had no idea how serious it was. If someone had said 'spinal cord' to me when it happened, I was that ignorant that I would have asked them if I had one." (Luckily, the 27-year-old jockey had not sustained a complete spinal cord injury and, as such, not all his neural pathways and nerve connections were damaged.)
"The doctors and nurses were all very tight-lipped, and I always felt they were holding something back.
"The doctors and nurses were all very tight-lipped, and I always felt they were holding something back.
"We didn't really know how serious it was until after about five and a half weeks, when we had a progress meeting with my consultant Dr Osmond.
"We didn't really know how serious it was until after about five and a half weeks, when we had a progress meeting with my consultant Dr Osmond.
"I thought he was going to tell me that I was doing very well, but that I needed another two or three weeks in bed, which would have been devastating news at the time. But he didn't. He just came straight out with it.
"I thought he was going to tell me that I was doing very well, but that I needed another two or three weeks in bed, which would have been devastating news at the time. But he didn't. He just came straight out with it.
"He said that at this stage in a case like mine, the doctors could give a prognosis and that the prognosis was that I wasn't going to be able to stand on my feet or walk again. 'Are you saying I'm fucked?', I asked him. I thought that this was now going to be me for the rest of my days.
"He said that at this stage in a case like mine, the doctors could give a prognosis and that the prognosis was that I wasn't going to be able to stand on my feet or walk again. 'Are you saying I'm fucked?', I asked him. I thought that this was now going to be me for the rest of my days.
"There was a Greek doctor with Dr Osmond, and he came back in after Dr Osmond had gone. He told me that Dr Osmond wasn't God, that he loved to be proved wrong and that he had been proved wrong before. So, the following day, I asked Dr Osmond, if there were 100 people in the room with the same injury as me, how many of them would one day get up and walk? 'Probably two', he said. If he had said none, I'd have felt there was no chance, but he hadn't said that, he'd said two.
"There was a Greek doctor with Dr Osmond, and he came back in after Dr Osmond had gone. He told me that Dr Osmond wasn't God, that he loved to be proved wrong and that he had been proved wrong before. So, the following day, I asked Dr Osmond, if there were 100 people in the room with the same injury as me, how many of them would one day get up and walk? 'Probably two', he said. If he had said none, I'd have felt there was no chance, but he hadn't said that, he'd said two.
"I tried to convert what he told me into betting terms. I worked out that he was making me a 50-1 shot to walk again. I remember thinking, 'Jesus, 50-1 shots do win sometimes'. It was fantastic news.
"I tried to convert what he told me into betting terms. I worked out that he was making me a 50-1 shot to walk again. I remember thinking, 'Jesus, 50-1 shots do win sometimes'. It was fantastic news.
"I still think I was very lucky. I was unlucky in that I was at Bangor that day on that horse, but I can safely say that I wasn't indecisive at the obstacle, I was in control. It was just unfortunate that the horse didn't lift his legs high enough. I can't blame anyone for that. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
"I still think I was very lucky. I was unlucky in that I was at Bangor that day on that horse, but I can safely say that I wasn't indecisive at the obstacle, I was in control. It was just unfortunate that the horse didn't lift his legs high enough. I can't blame anyone for that. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
"For a long time I needed a hand to do everything, even wiping my arse, but I was injured, and now I'm gradually getting better. People ask me how I feel, but I've not been ill, I was injured. No way am I 100 per cent, but I'm definitely getting better.
"For a long time I needed a hand to do everything, even wiping my arse, but I was injured, and now I'm gradually getting better. People ask me how I feel, but I've not been ill, I was injured. No way am I 100 per cent, but I'm definitely getting better.
"I see a future where I'd always have a few horses around the place, but being a trainer would be a great way to lose my money and, on top of that, I'd get frustrated seeing a horse taking the piss but knowing I couldn't do anything about it myself. I'd like to be involved in racing, though, possibly in the racecourse side of the sport as a clerk of the course.
"I see a future where I'd always have a few horses around the place, but being a trainer would be a great way to lose my money and, on top of that, I'd get frustrated seeing a horse taking the piss but knowing I couldn't do anything about it myself. I'd like to be involved in racing, though, possibly in the racecourse side of the sport as a clerk of the course.
"People say I'm very determined, but anyone in my situation would be. I just want what the next fellow wants. If you can do something about it, you do something about it."
"People say I'm very determined, but anyone in my situation would be. I just want what the next fellow wants. If you can do something about it, you do something about it."
Two years on: John continued to make fantastic progress. Following strenuous physiotherapy, he recovered the ability to walk and once again began swimming.
Two years on: John continued to make fantastic progress. Following strenuous physiotherapy, he recovered the ability to walk and once again began swimming.
He also took up a steward's secretary role with the Irish Turf Club at point-to-points.
He also took up a steward's secretary role with the Irish Turf Club at point-to-points.