Armed robbery victim who broke his back in the attack set to run first marathon
A STRATFORD-UPON-AVON man who was told he would never walk again after breaking his back during an armed raid at his home will take part in the London Marathon.
Steven Smith, aged 57, thought he was going to die when two men burst into his holiday home near Nice, France and held him at gunpoint demanding jewellery and money in 2011.
The terrifying ordeal began when Steven went to get a glass of water and was horrified to see two men armed with guns who had smashed French windows at his home to gain entry.
“They kept asking me in French where my wife was? Then they demanded jewellery and where was the safe in the house? They became progressively more angry and unpleasant when I said my wife was back in England and that I didn’t have a safe. They were after anything, cash and credit cards. Then they found the keys to the safe and one of them went downstairs to try to open it and I was left with one of them holding a gun at me,” Steven said.
Realising that he was in a one-on-one situation with the remaining gunman, Steven wrestled with him and then jumped 30 feet out of a first floor window landing on a river bank below. The life threatening fall broke his spine and his arm.
“I was unconscious but it didn’t stop the two men coming after me, dragging me away and beating me up further. I honestly think they would have left me there to die but a gardener who had been kidnapped by the gang - during the raid - and locked in a wine cellar at my home managed to break free and call the police, ambulance and fire services. I was bleeding and in agony with a pain nothing describes,” said Steven.
After receiving emergency treatment at a nearby hospital he was taken to Nice 20 miles away where fortunately one of Europe’s top neurosurgeons operated on Steven.
“I couldn’t move for a month,” Steven said. “I was in hospital from August 2011 to November and told that I would never walk again. Eventually, I was transferred to a hospital in Wimbledon. I’ve suffered post-traumatic stress and only been back to the holiday home a few times since.”
French authorities told Steven that the armed gang had spotted his wife Lesley when she was shopping and wearing expensive jewellery; evidence to support this conclusion was captured on CCTV. Police then believe the gang staked out Steven’s home for a week before striking in the cold, light of day.
The gang were jailed for a total of 38 years between them and had been responsible for other burglaries in the area.
“When I jumped I was trying to land in a nearby river but hit the ground and broke my back. It affected me mentally so I moved back to England and bought a stud farm in Hunscote near Stratford which is where I work now,” Steven said.
Defying all odds, Steven did learn to walk again and on 23rd April he will take on the full London Marathon with the aid of two walking sticks. He thinks it will take him ten to 14 hours and he hopes to raise £250,000 in aid of the Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation (nsif) - a charity devoted to finding a cure for paralysis caused by spinal cord injury. If he succeeds, the achievement will be all the more remarkable because Steven has never done a marathon before.
Steven said: “After my injury in 2011 my legs often feel extremely heavy – they feel like they are made of lead. I won’t be training too much, as I don’t want to aggravate the injury. I think I’ve only got one marathon in me and I don’t want to run out of steam too early!”
Mike Milner, CEO of nsif said: “The London Marathon is an enormous challenge for anyone taking part – but to undertake a challenge of this scale when every step is a struggle will really push Steven to his limits. Steven has shown incredible mental and physical strength in his attempt to recover from his injury. Many people don’t realise the extent of the complications that a spinal cord injury can cause, it is a life-long battle for good health due to the hidden effects of the injury. We believe in a future where there will be a cure for spinal injury and we are enormously grateful to Steven taking on this epic challenge”.
To donate to Steven’s marathon challenge:
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/StevenSmithMarathon
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