Kitepix Magazine No.6 April - June 2015 | Page 148

“

The look on Sukie’s
face as she was sat
repairing kites will never
leave my mind. She
grimaced, smiled, and I
think nearly shed a tear all
at the same time

Sukie came to collect me, and when she
did, I knew she would be taking on the
mother figure whilst I was there, and I
couldn’t think of anyone that could do it
better. She fed me, changed my bandages,
gave up her air conditioned room for me,
the works, and I will always be grateful to
her. Everyone kept me involved, although
I couldn’t kite, the beers still flowed and I
have some great memories with everyone
there.
After the events that had unfolded I was
keen to hear what had happened from the
people on the beach that had witnessed
it and as far as I could work out it had
been a really hot gust of wind that had
caught me and taken me up to those
heights; sand behind me was lifting off of
the beach, no one had ever experienced
this effect before. It reminded me of the
old legendary ‘top hat’ video. To this day I
haven’t worked out what the effect was, all
I knew is that I didn’t want to be involved
in it again, and wouldn’t want anyone else
to have to experience the feeling from that
day. I was down, depressed, but everyone
around me, my friends and family at home
were all trying their best to keep my spirits
up. I spent a week not really leaving my
room, until I realized that I needed to
make a decision, have a new meaning
to get myself up, out there and make a
new plan for my life. I couldn’t walk, and
was getting fed up with people having
to carry my things and sometimes me
around.
My leg was an absolute mess, the bruising
had really come out, and it was still very
swollen, but this wasn’t going to bring my
spirits down any longer. I was in a fantastic
part of the world, and I intended to make
the most of it whilst I was there. I managed
to sell on some kit, so I had a small amount
of money to play with, and with the help of
everyone, I got out as much as the pain

would let me. I spent most days watching
the guys pushing their riding, taking photos
and trying to see as many different spots
as possible.
With this burst of positive thoughts
I began to re-evaluate my decision
on stopping kitesurfing. What were
the chances of this freak accident
happening to me? Or happening again?
These questions passed through my
mind day and night, and my current
positive thoughts led me to a decision
that now two years later, I’m glad I made.
I had set myself some yearly goals, and
at the time they were very ambitious, but
I was determined to achieve them and
bring myself back from the slump I was
in. Originally at the hospital I was told it
would be up to six months before I could
walk, and a minimum of 12 before I could
kitesurf. One month later, I was ready to fly
back to the UK, my Dad had worked hard
and managed to secure me a sponsorship,
Koncept Gym in my hometown, which
would allow me a free gym pass and
personal trainer. I knew that to begin my
rehabilitation and to reach the goals I had
set myself, I needed to get back and face
the cold, get myself in to see specialists
at the hospital in the UK and to begin my
road to recovery. But before all of this it had
been a month since my injury, and I was
ready to reach my first goal.
The look on Sukie’s face as she was sat
repairing kites will never leave my mind.
She grimaced, smiled, and I think nearly
shed a tear all at the same time, as I took
my first steps into the garage towards her.
I was unsteady, and it was painful at first,
but it was a break through. I knew once I
boarded that flight, my real road to recovery
was going to take place.
England was cold, but it was good to be