Simon's Alpine charity challenge

Jan 1 2009 by Chris Robinson, The Journal

A SNOWBOARDING fanatic is going back to the slopes to thank surgeons who saved his legs after a horrific car accident.

Simon Wilson was nearly killed in a road smash with a 40-tonne truck six years ago.

Surgeons at Dryburn Hospital, Durham, spent six hours carrying out painstaking surgery to rebuild his legs, replacing both thigh bones with 18-inch metal pins.

He also suffered a shattered knee cap, a broken collar bone and fractured ribs in the accident at Cadger Bank, Lanchester, County Durham, in January 2003. But the father-of-two is well on the road to a full recovery and is about to hit the slopes of the Alps for a charity challenge.

Mr Wilson, of Stanhope, Weardale, said: “It was a bad crash and a very close call. My wife was pregnant at the time.

“I was in hospital for six weeks and broke one of the pins when I began weight-bearing again.

“They built me like the ‘bionic man’ but my surgeon Mr Jennings got me back on the road to recovery.

“I just wanted to do something to repay them for what they did for me.

“I wanted to do something fairly unique. But I asked if I could go snowboarding again. He just said ‘Be careful’.”

Mr Wilson will head off to Switzerland in March to complete the 40km challenge, which will see him tackle some of the toughest terraines in the Alps. The three-day journey will take him to the Klein Matterhorn, home to the highest cable car in Europe, through to Courmayeur, Italy, and finally the Vallée Blanche Glacier, France. Money raised will go to the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Birmingham, and the Make A Wish Foundation helping sick children.

Mr Wilson is married to Vicky, 37, and has two children, Emily, five, and Lucas, two. He is an area co-ordinator with the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

He said: “If you’re careful it’s not a dangerous sport. I am going to do some practice.

“I have always seen that as something to aim towards. At first you think ‘Will I walk again?’ then ‘Will I be able to walk for long distances?’

“There is a lot of metal, but you do forget. Sometimes I worry about going through the airport scanners. I think there’s a personal challenge in doing this. I’m fairly community minded, but this is the first time I have done something special like this. For me doing the snowboarding is about giving something back to the people who have helped me,” added Mr Wilson.

Anyone wanting to sponsor him should telephone 07974 226162.