Australian BMX star Sam Willoughby facing battle to walk again after breaking his neck in a training accident
BMX star Sam Willoughby faces the fight of his life to walk again, after a crash in the US left the two-time world champion with no movement from the chest down.
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AUSTRALIAN BMX star Sam Willoughby faces the fight of his life to walk again, after a crash in the US left the two-time world champion with no movement from the chest down.
The Olympic silver medallist remains in a San Diego hospital after fracturing his C6 and C7 vertebrae which severely compressed his spinal cord in a training crash at the Chula Vista track on September 10.
His fiancee, US rider Alise Post, told News Corp Australia their dream was to both walk down the aisle together next year.
“I have been with Sam for eight years and I can honestly say I have never been more proud of him than I have in these past 10 days,” she said.
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Willoughby, 25, was flown to hospital where he had surgery and was placed in intensive care while his parents, Colin and Sharon, made the mercy dash from Australia to be with him.
Surgeons removed his C6 vertebrae, replaced it with a titanium cage and fused his C5-C7 vertebrae with a plate and four screws.
It successfully decompressed his spinal cord and aligned his vertebrae, meaning he did not require a second round of surgery.
While he has no movement from his chest down, he has regained the use of his arms and is slowly regaining sensation in his legs.
As Willoughby’s family comes to terms with the long and costly rehabilitation process he faces, the cycling community is in shock at the extent of his injuries.
He is expected to be moved to a US rehabilitation centre in coming days and a website has been set up for people to send messages of support and to donate towards his recovery costs.
Post — who won a silver medal at last month’s Rio Olympics — said on Thursday night it was “by far the biggest obstacle he will likely ever face”.
“He has done nothing but show sheer determination to face this head on and come out the other end with the best possible results.
“We are in the midst of planning our wedding for next year and one of Sam’s goals is to do everything in his power to walk me down that aisle side-by-side as husband and wife, surrounded by his beautiful loved ones, and ready to celebrate a beautiful future with each and every one of you on this journey with him.
“He has an amazing support network around him that is committed to giving him every opportunity for a full recovery. Sam and I have been a team for a long time and when we put our heads together with the support around us, anything is possible.”
Willoughby, the 2012 and 2014 BMX world champion, finished sixth in the men’s final at the Rio Olympics and afterwards returned to Adelaide briefly to visit family and friends.
He then flew back to the US to prepare for the remaining world cups and the rest of the American season when his accident happened.
His family has been overwhelmed by the support from friends, family and the wider cycling and sporting community.
The social media hashtag #strengthfor91 — the year Willoughby was born and his official racing number — has been circulating since his accident as people rally around him.
Willoughby’s father Colin said his son’s attitude was “incredible” and the family was right behind him in his recovery.
“Sam will give this rehabilitation process his absolute best shot, he is a professional athlete who has trained to meet goals and he has the biggest of all goals ahead of him,” Colin said.
“His strength so far has been incredible, and given what he has been through is in great spirits ... he is champing at the bit to move from hospital into rehabilitation so that he can start this process.
“Everyone agrees that if anyone can get through this, it is Sam, and we are supporting him all the way.
“He has the strongest possible network of family, friends and supporters around him that he can lean on over the coming months.”
A joint statement from the family said the outpouring of support for Willoughby since his accident had been incredible and those asking how they can help have been directed to the website www.road2recovery.com/strengthfor91
“Where you can offer support, both through financial assistance and messages for Sam, and can also keep up to date with Sam’s progress,” the family said
“Any donation great or small and any message of support will assist Sam in remaining strong throughout his road to recovery.”