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A personal trainer revealed how he turned his life around after doctors told him he’d never walk again.
Mike Newman, 30, of Hampshire, was thrown from his bike during motocross practice, shattering his L3 vertebrae, punctured lung, and fracturing his tailbone and pelvis, in June 2019.
The personal trainer was flown to the hospital by helicopter, and spent nearly six months in the hospital trying to recover from his injuries, after doctors told him he might never walk again.
But after nearly four years of recovery, Mike has broken down many of the physical barriers to being able to walk short distances, get a personal trainer license and “become fittest” at all.
“I may never be back to 100 percent, and I still need a wheelchair when I’m overexerting myself, but I’ve come this far and I’m very proud,” he explained.
Mike Newman, 30, from Hampshire, has revealed how he turned his life around after doctors told him he’d never walk again
He was thrown from his bike during motocross practice leaving him with a crushed L3 vertebrae, a punctured lung and a broken tailbone and pelvis, in June 2019 (pictured left and right, recovering in hospital)
He spent nearly six months in the hospital trying to recover from his injuries, after doctors told him he might never walk again
“I was on a motocross track when my bike hit a rock and I hit the accelerator,” said Mike, recalling the accident.
I threw up, and fell on my back when I felt it explode under me.
I tried to get up but I couldn’t move.
I was airlifted to the hospital and had metal rods inserted into my back to help with the fracture.
`Because my nerves were all messed up, I couldn’t feel my legs at all, and it really affected my intestines, so I had to use a catheter for a while.
My legs ended up completely fading away to skin and bone, I couldn’t feel them at all, and when feeling returned they were incredibly weak, almost lifeless.
I had to stay in the hospital for about five and a half months, while waiting to go to a spinal rehab center, since I couldn’t go home because it wasn’t accessible.
My wounds got infected during my stay in the hospital, so they had to cut me in again to clean the wounds, which wasn’t ideal.
After the accident, Mike was airlifted to the hospital and had metal rods inserted into his back to help with the fracture
His wounds became so infected during his stay in the hospital that doctors had to cut him from behind to clean the wounds, which he said “wasn’t ideal.”
Then in February 2020 he ended up getting sticks punched in the back which resulted in him staying there for another month
However, despite the severity of the accident and the injuries he sustained, Mike was determined to recover (pictured, he underwent permanent treatment)
Mike had to stay in the hospital for about five and a half months, while waiting to go to a spinal rehab center
Then in February 2020 I ended up hitting the bars in my back which resulted in me being in there for another month while I got fixed.
After he was released from the hospital, Mike made it his mission to get back on his feet and learn to walk again.
While learning to get his stride back, Mike used a range of assistive equipment such as a wheelchair and a Zimmer frame.
He adds, ‘I initially had physiotherapy to help me regain strength in my legs, but with Covid 19 causing a widespread lockdown in March 2020, it suddenly ended up stopping.
I spent the lockdown period walking around my house with a Zimmer frame, upright frame, crutches and a wheelchair.
“Using the tires was a really strange experience as there was no feeling in my legs for some time, so I kind of had to drag my feet and legs and rely on my upper body strength.
“One of my biggest goals was to be able to use the bathroom on my own again, and it felt so fulfilling to use the toilet independently instead of having to use a catheter.”
When the lockdown restrictions lifted a bit, I pushed myself to go to the gym to work out and strengthen my legs, which had become so weak.
After being released from the hospital, Mike made it his mission to get back on his feet and learn to walk again – before pushing himself to the gym for a workout.
Mike credits his friends and family for helping him rehabilitate after his accident, and love how much they inspired him to keep going (pictured with girlfriend Emma)
He said his girlfriend really pushed him “out of his comfort zone” and always challenged him to go beyond what he thought his limits were.
Through training and pushing myself to walk, the crazy feeling started returning to my legs, and I found that I was able to stand and walk for short periods of time.
“Although the feeling returned to one leg before the other, I ended up losing my balance a lot and slipping here and there.”
Once he felt strong enough, Mike decided to train for a personal trainer license, and was the first to complete the course in a wheelchair.
He now hopes to use his paralysis expertise to help train other people in a similar situation to give them the new hope they need to get back on their feet.
He explains, “When I was in spinal rehab, everyone on the ward was having a very difficult time with all of them having some kind of paralysis.
There was a boy I spoke to on the ward, who was about to give up, never thought he’d ever walk again.
I just decided to befriend him and drag him with me to the gym every time I went and told him he’d get there.
He recently sent me a video of himself walking up and down stairs for the first time in years, and it gave me the inspiration I needed to try and help others.
Mike credits his friends and family for helping him rehabilitate after an accident, and loves how much they inspire him to keep going.
He said: ‘My partner, Emma Jean, 29, really pushed me out of my comfort zone and always challenged me to push what I thought were my limits.
I recently danced with her for the first time and felt amazing, and since she’s a pole dance instructor, she even got me to try the baton!
Having my mom, friends, and Emma Jane there for me throughout all of this, I think, made what could have been a very isolating period in my life become one of the most progressive and challenging times I’ve spent coming out ten times better on the other side.
I was paralyzed after a bike accident – now I’m a personal trainer