A Middlesbrough man is lucky to be alive after a catastrophic parachute failure during a skydive left him plummeting to earth at 70mph.
The 31-year-old man suffered eight fractured vertebrae and a spinal fracture, leaving him permanently paralysed and dependent on a wheelchair to get around.
Kirk Trainor from Middlesbrough has made almost 700 successful jumps but on one fateful day in May the mechanism that slows the descent of the parachute malfunctioned.
Although the parachute slowed his fall slightly, the fall was fast enough to kill him.
Now, Mr Trainor’s friends have launched fundraising initiatives to help raise money for experimental private treatments that could help him walk again.
Kirk Trainor, from Middlesbrough, who has completed almost 700 jumps, suffered eight broken ribs and a fractured spine.
The 31-year-old is still hospitalized two months after losing control of his parachute in the terrifying fall on May 11.
Multiple appeals have been made online, including a GoFundMe page which has raised almost £14,000 in just five days.
Another received more than £1,340 in donations of its £6,000 target.
Recounting the ordeal, Mr Trainor said: ‘My hand slipped off the lever that breaks the parachute as I was about to land and I didn’t have time before I hit the ground.
‘I landed on my feet and the full force of the impact went to my lower spine, just above my lower back. My legs stopped working and I knew it was something serious.
“It’s like being in a motorcycle accident, but I’m lucky to be alive. It could have been worse: people have died in similar accidents.”
He added: “My most serious injury has been damage to my spinal cord which resulted in paralysis of my lower limbs, leaving me unable to move from the navel down.”
There was not enough time to regain control before hitting the ground at an estimated speed of 70 mph.
To help him fund his wheelchair and hopefully pioneer stem cell treatment, friends Mike Needham and Scott Middleton have begun fundraising.
Mr Trainor ran into trouble during the jump when he lost control of a lever that was connected to a line used to cause the parachute to break or slow down.
To help with the financial costs, his friends Mr Needham and Mr Middleton have set up online campaigns, one of which has raised more than £19,600. Another received more than £1,340 in donations of its £6,000 target.
After undergoing surgery to stabilise his spine, he remains in hospital recovering, where he has been for two months.
Although NHS doctors have few treatments to offer Mr Trainor, private clinics are offering experimental therapies such as stem cell transplants.
Stem cells, which are “shape-changing” cells, can develop into many different cell types and may be used to help regenerate nerve fibers in the damaged spinal cord, according to the U.K. Stem Cell Foundation.
Cells are extracted from the patient’s own body, purified, and then reimplanted into an area where cells have died.
Mr Trainor’s GoFundMe page reads: ‘Over the next few months, while Kirk continues his treatment, I (friend) aim to help him maintain some independence by raising funds for a lightweight wheelchair, costing around £6,000.
‘This will help you with your daily mobility and allow you to get back to work.
‘If we raise more than what is needed for the wheelchair, the extra funds will go towards Kirk’s stem cell treatment trial, which is costing around £100,000.
‘Every contribution, no matter the size, will have a significant impact and alleviate the hardships Kirk is facing during this difficult time.
‘As a friend of Kirk, I appeal to my family, friends, colleagues and the wider community to raise the funds necessary for his recovery, which will undoubtedly take time.’
