As NDIS care providers on the Gold Coast, we love stories of triumph against adversity, and this is a cracker. The day before his 27th birthday, life changed forever for George Peasgood. George had been a passionate triathlete for many years and was part of the British Paralympic team when he decided to go out for a training ride with his girlfriend to push his sprint timings. Unfortunately, his foot slipped from the pedal, causing him to come off the bike over the handlebars. He was travelling at speed and hit the ground headfirst, suffering a significant head injury.
His Life Hung in the Balance
Unfortunately, landing so heavily caused him to begin fitting, and he lay at the side of the road in a life-or-death situation while his girlfriend called the emergency services. He was rushed straight to intensive care and was found to have sustained a grade three diffuse axonal injury. He slipped into the deepest coma level, and his family were warned that he might not survive. While he has no recollection at all of the accident, he knows what his girlfriend and parents have told him. Speaking to BBC Sport, he said, “Everything was touch and go. Frankie and my parents were told many times not to expect me to survive, which must have been really hard for them. I do get upset sometimes – they went through all of that.”
A Long Coma
The coma lasted for around eight weeks and was finally rousable so his recovery could begin. It has been and continues to be a very long process. Finally leaving the hospital in April this year, he moved into a rehabilitation facility in Leicestershire called The Get Bust Living Centre, which was founded by the Matt Hampson Foundation. He credits his love of sports with his progress so far. He goes to the gym every single day and does rigorous physical therapy and counselling.
Paralympic Triumph
George is no stranger to overcoming adversity in his life; he was just two years old when an accident with a ride on lawnmower nearly cost him his left leg. It took 15 surgeries to reconstruct his leg. “I’ve learned to be so stubborn, to never take no for an answer. And I just want my life back the way it was before my accident. That’s all I want.” He thrived, and at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, he won a bronze medal in para-cycling and silver in the Para-triathlon. At the moment, he cannot speculate as to whether he can return to his career, but he has made good progress in both running and swimming. His cycling recovery is taking longer, and currently, he has started to ride again using a tandem bike with a supporting rider.
“I’m not thinking about competing at all,” he says. “At the moment, I just want to be able to live the exact same as before. The aim at the moment is just to get my life back, everything outside of sports, but I’m using sports to get there.
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