By Hannah Blackwell
The mother of Welsh decathlete Ben Gregory has given a hugely encouraging update on his recovery after his bike accident this summer.
Loraine Gregory has told sky news that the 31-year-old is making a great recovery after suffering a brain injury.
Gregory represented Wales at three Commonwealth Games, in Delhi in 2010, Glasgow in 2014, and at the Gold Coast four years ago.
Mrs Gregory said: “One of the paramedics from the air ambulance crew who brought Ben to the Royal London, a guy called Frank, said that he didn’t think Ben could survive the injuries, because people usually didn’t.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Ben Gregory's friends and family at this time. š
Ben's accomplishments as an athlete speak for themselves: Wales' greatest ever decathlete – 3 Commonwealth Games, the Welsh record holder & representing Wales & GB multiple times. pic.twitter.com/xsYbVkH052
— Welsh Athletics (@WelshAthletics) August 22, 2022
“He continued to visit Ben since bringing him in and saw him last week and said that his recovery had been miraculous. Without the London Air Ambulance, Ben would 100% not be here today.”
Gregory was cycling home from work on 19 August when he was collided with a car, suffering catastrophic brain injuries, multiple haemorrhages and fractures to his skull, even though he was wearing a helmet.
He was put into a medically induced coma at the scene and was flown to the Royal London Hospital, where he remained on life support for weeks.
Former world champion hurdler Dai Greene describing his fellow Welshman as “one of the nicest and most positive people I’ve had the pleasure to be around at the track”.
Welsh Athletics hailed him as the country’s “greatest ever decathlete”, while one of his clients had been the British heavyweight boxer David Adeleye, who had #prayingforben printed on his shorts and top during his most recent fight.
Gregory will spend Christmas at the Wellington Neurological Rehabilitation Unit in St John’s Wood, London, where he will remain at the unit until the middle of 2023, receiving physical and neuropsychological therapy to help him on the road to recovery.