Billy Monger's horrific crash that led to both legs being amputated
Billy Monger's life was changed forever when he was involved in a horrific crash that led to both his legs being amputated.
The British racing driver, who is taking part in Celebrity Race Across The World, was just 17 when he was seriously injured in the crash at Donington Park in April 2017, which has since been described as one of British motorsports’ most awful accidents. Billy, who was just days away from celebrating his 18th birthday, was racing around the track during the Formula 4 championship race when he smashed into a stationary vehicle at 120mph. He was trapped inside for more than 90 minutes at the Derby racetrack while crews desperately battled to extract him from the wreckage.
The horror smash led to Billy having his legs amputated (ITV4)Ian Dixon, one of the crew members at Donington Park Rescue Unit, was involved in the rescue operation, and said the crash was “one of the most catastrophic” he had ever seen. “Billy’s car had smashed into the back of another car at such a high speed that it was left wedged inside the other almost like two paper cups,” he explained, admitting that he was still affected by the crash. “When we arrived, Billy was in a bad way and we couldn’t see his legs or how badly damaged they were so we couldn’t move him. “The whole process was extremely traumatic for everyone involved and it had a massive impact on us.”
Billy is an inspiration, and has overcome huge challenges to be able to walk again (Internet Unknown)Billy was airlifted to hospital in Nottingham, where he was put into an induced coma and underwent lengthy surgery, with both of his legs being amputated. While in hospital, the racing driver released a statement on Twitter, as he thanked rescue crews for saving his life. “The marshals, the medics, doctors, air ambulance and extraction crews at Donington with all the staff at the Queens Medical Centre - what can I say? Without you guys I wouldn't be here today! I will always thank you for saving my life. The one true hero of this tragic event has been my sister, Bonny, who gave me the will to keep fighting! A value that I will continue to hold now... and for the rest of my life,” he wrote.
He's even returned to racing, and drives a specially-adapted car he controls with his hands (Gary Hawkins/REX/Shutterstock)The determined racer has made incredible progress since the life-changing accident, and returned to racing less than a year after the crash. Driving a specially adapted car he could control by hand, Billy won the Pau Grand Prix at the Euroformula Open races in France two years after the accident. Now, the inspirational hero has signed up to take part in Celebrity Race Across the World alongside his beloved sister Bonny. Billy, now 24, said it wasn’t “plain sailing” learning how to walk again, and he’s excited to take on the ultimate endurance test. “I like to be able to feel I can do stuff by myself. That’s wired into me from the age I had my accident, you’re at an age where you want independence. So I’ve always chased independence and I make sure that I’m not relying on other people,” he told Mirror Online.
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