Recovered alcoholic who couldn’t swim is now taking on the English Channel

FOUR years ago, Luke Richards’ body was starting to shut down and his hand shook so badly he couldn’t write. Now he’s about to take on the Everest of challenges.

Luke is a recovering alcholic who couldn't swim and is now training to swim the English Channel. Pictures: Valeriu Campan

FOUR years ago alcoholic Luke Richards could barely swim the length of a swimming pool.

Yet next year the Sandringham 43-year-old will take on the Everest of swims, the English Channel.

The account manager has nearly died twice due to his excessive drinking, at one time swilling a litre of bourbon a day, barely able to go a few hours without a swig.

He managed to function at work — just — but the spirits had taken their toll.

He was a mess, emotionally, physically and mentally, and once tried to drink himself to death.

“On Labour Day weekend of 2012 I attempted suicide and am only alive today by chance,” Mr Richards said.

“My family bundled me off to rehab where I was told that I would be dead in a year if I continued drinking like I did.

“Unfortunately for me, that experience as not enough to get me sober, something that had nothing to do with the program and everything to do with me.”

He then spent the next eight months drinking even more than he had ever had, sporadically trying in vain to stop.

“My body was starting to shut down, my hands shook so badly that I could not write or use utensils,” he said.

Luke Richards once tried to drink himself to death.

“My body was so dependent on alcohol that I could not go more than a few hours without severe withdrawals beginning to crippling me.”

His first day of sober life was February 9, 2013 — he hasn’t touched a drop in more than four years.

“When that began, I made a promise to myself to live my life to the fullest, to illustrate through actions that I was a different person now,” he said.

He started swimming, but was so unfit that he could not do a single length of a pool without stopping.

“I started a program; slowly but surely my fitness improved, I have completed open water swims,” he said.

His next challenge is the English Channel in August 2018; to be allowed to do it he will need to swim more than 2600km in varying conditions and qualify at official events over the next 15 months.

“I am swimming to raise awareness of recovery from addiction and to illustrate to people that people can change and achieve great things,” he said.

“Everyone is capable of change, no matter their position, their past, but people can’t do it on their own, they need help.

“I am thankful for every day, I know I am lucky to be alive, I am blessed.”

Originally published as Recovered alcoholic who couldn’t swim is now taking on the English Channel