A TATTENHALL man who was left inches from death after a car accident five years ago, has defied the odds by competing in a gruelling national swimming challenge.
Michael Brown was left fighting for his life after he was hit by a car while walking to work just half a mile from his home in Gatesheath in May 2008.
The accident, which was reported in The Chronicle at the time, caused Michael, then 24, to suffer brain injuries so severe that doctors warned his devastated family to prepare for the worst.
But following seven months of treatment by skilled medical experts at the Countess of Chester, Clatterbridge, and Salford hospitals Michael began to show signs of making a miraculous recovery.
Over the past five years, while still coping with the permanent after-effects of his injuries, Michael, now 29, has not only learned how to walk again but he has also learned to swim from the very beginning, despite a number of continuing mobility problems.
He and his family enlisted the help and guidance of Dave Humphreys and Louise Crook from Total Fitness in Chester to help him regain the basics, and last month Michael amazed his friends and family by becoming one of the 14,500 people taking part in the Great North Swim at Lake Windermere.
Participants of all abilities can choose to swim either half a mile, one mile, two miles or 5km for a charity of their choice in the race, and thanks to Michael’s half a mile swim and some fundraising coffee mornings, he was able to raise £1,600 for brain injury charity Headway, which works to improve life after brain injury.
Michael’s dad Steve described his son’s journey as nothing short of ‘miraculous’.
“We are all convinced Michael’s own determination and will to live has been a major factor on his road to recovery,” he said.
“This swim was just another challenge and again demonstrated his character in getting on with life and tackling whatever it throws at him.
Steve added: “He says climbing Snowdon could be his next goal!”
