A FATHER'S hopes of running his first marathon since recovering from a life-threatening brain trauma have been dashed after he fractured his leg.
Kevin Smith, 46, who runs Jackson's Hair Design for Men in Galleywood, was given a 15 to 20 per cent chance of survival after suffering an extra-axial haematoma – a major bleed to the brain – when he fractured his skull in 2004.
"I fell backwards down some stairs – something so simple could have cost me my life," he said.
"I got to the last step, lost my balance and went backwards. It fractured my skull and a piece of bone went through my brain and caused a massive bleed."
Kevin was in hospital for 11 weeks after his accident and then underwent three-and-a-half years of intensive physiotherapy to regain the movement down one side of his body.
"When I came out of hospital, my right-hand side was all paralysed. I had minimal movement in my arm and my leg and I certainly couldn't work – I couldn't even pick a comb up in my hand," said Kevin.
Nine years later and having made a full recovery, Kevin decided to embark on the (second) biggest challenge of his life by running the London Marathon.
He was hoping to raise money for a charity called Headway, which helped him overcome the challenges he faced after the fall.
"I was in a bad place at the time and I really couldn't see a way out," said Kevin. "Headway really helped me through."
Encouraged by his girlfriend Emma and his six-year-old son, Daniel, Kevin set about training hard for the 26-mile course.
"When I first put my name down for it I thought, oh it's only five hours, and then I started training and thought, it's going to be a bit longer than that!"
But this week Kevin's hopes of raising £1,500 for the charity were dashed when his physiotherapist informed him that he has a hairline fracture in his right leg. "I am gutted," he said. "I've been training so hard for it but I've been told I can't train for 12 weeks. I'm absolutely broken."
But with the overwhelming support of his customers, friends and family, Kevin is determined to make the finishing the line if not this year, then next.
"Everyone has been so supportive so I'm hoping to get in next year," he said.
And despite this week's disappointing news, Kevin hopes to inspire anyone else who may have suffered a similar injury.
He added: "It does help people who have had a serious brain injury to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel."
