Man left paralysed in freak accident during New Year's Eve cold water dip
A man was paralysed from the neck down following an accident during a swim in the sea.
Dan Richards was enjoying a dip in the sea in Langland Bay, Swansea, on New Year's Eve when the freak accident took place. The 35-year-old dived into the cold water, rotating his body in such a way that the back of his head hit the sand.
His neck was broken by the impact. Dan was airlifted to hospital for life-saving treatment. He believes had he been alone he would not be alive today.
At the time of the horrifying incident, the Swansea man was with his partner Anna Thomas, her mum Jayne Trew and their friend Sharon Nicholson. Keen surfer Dan led the way into the cold sea, plunging himself into a wave as he had done many times before.
As he did the wave rotated his body, causing the back of his head to hit the sand and breaking his neck. Unable to feel his arms or legs and in a state of shock still in the water, the gas engineer focused on his breathing, until he could lift his head to call out to the three women for help.
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The group had been at the sea for a New Year's Eve dip (Media Wales)
Keen surfer Dan was no stranger to cold seas (Media Wales)Speaking from his hospital bed, Dan told WalesOnline: "I was probably thigh-deep in the water, just wading, and a wave was coming in, so the plan was to shallow dive into the base of the wave and come up the other side as normal, but as I've got into the wave, it has rotated me, and the back of my head hit the sand, and with my momentum going forward and the weight of the wave, it broke my neck, it was that easy, that quick.
"It was instant, there was a loud noise and bright light, and then I opened my eyes underwater and could just see my arms and legs but had no control over them. It was surreal. It was kind of a shock, but I was more focused on holding my breath because I couldn't use my arms or legs, and then the next wave rolled me over. It was just waiting until I could shout out.
"I probably would have been more panicked if I was on my own, but it was knowing that help wasn't far away. The only reason I'm here is because we were out together. They got me off the beach, and paramedics got me warm and on medication for the pain and I was in and out of consciousness until the helicopter came."
(Media Wales)Dan was airlifted from the beach to Bristol Southmead Hospital where he received life-saving treatment for his injuries. Now that he is in stable condition, he has been moved closer to home at Morriston Hospital, where he is awaiting transfer to a long-term rehabilitation facility.
Reliving the traumatic afternoon, Anne said: "It was New Year's Eve and we were moving in together, and we took a break to go and have a little dip, as we do most weekends. We've got one of the huts down in Langland so we go down there a lot and we're very confident in the water.
"It was around 2.30pm, and Dan, myself my friend Sharon and my mum went down together. Dan walked in ahead of us, as he always does, just to get in quickly and get out because it was so cold. The next thing I knew is that I saw his head coming out of the water shouting: 'Help me, I can't move my legs'.
"I realised it wasn't a joke as the waves were taking him over to the right where the rip was, so we went over there and managed to pull him into the shoreline. We asked some passers-by to help us and phone for an ambulance straight away.
"Dan said that he knew straight away he was paralysed. We moved him up the beach, and waited for the coastguards and first response to arrive, and then it was a decision on whether Dan was going to go into an ambulance or to call the helicopter. The Swansea-based helicopter was already at another call, and we ended up having one from Newquay. It was around two hours we were on the beach until it arrived."
Dan says that he is remaining positive and determined about the future, despite having mixed opinions from doctors. He said: "Some of the doctors have told me I could make a very good recovery and get my arms and legs working again, and others have said that my recovery may not be so good.
"It's too early to tell, they are still waiting for swelling to go down around the spinal cord, so really it is just a waiting game and getting to the rehabilitation centre to start the physio and the healing.
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"At first, I experienced paralysis from my neck down, but since the surgery, I've now got some movement in my shoulders and arms. As of last week, I managed to get some flickers in my thighs and toes on one foot.
"I've got more than what they originally said but they haven't really told me exactly what is going to happen, because they don't know. I'm dealing with it one day at a time.
Anne and Dan's family are hoping to support him by giving him the best quality of life going forward, and to help him "continue to be the best dad to his three-year-old daughter Hailey".
A fundraiser has now been launched hoping to raise £50,000 to support Dan, which has already raised £29,446.
Anne said: "We've cried more about the Gofundme page than we have about the accident, because we're trying to be so positive every day, and then there's people's kind words and messages coming through, some whom you've never even met, and it means the world to us."
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