HORROR ON BEN NEVIS
Horror end to paraplegic dad’s Ben Nevis dream
A PARAPLEGIC climber could have half his leg amputated after it was badly mangled during a charity climb of Ben Nevis. Shaun Gash was unaware his leg was being smashed against rocks under his wheelchair. He was airlifted to hospital just 300 yards from the summit.
A DISABLED climber faces losing his lower right leg after a charity attempt to scale Ben Nevis went horribly wrong.
Shaun Gash suffered severe injuries during his ascent of the UK’s highest mountain while fundraising for a host of good causes.
He hadn’t realised that his leg was trapped under his wheelchair and had been broken several times and mangled.
Speaking after he was helicoptered to hospital, he urged people to keep donating, saying: “It’s all about the charities, not me.”
Shaun was in an off-road wheelchair trying to raise £3000 for Help For Heroes, Calvert Trust Exmoor, Back-Up Trust and George’s Legacy.
But he realised disaster had struck more than 300 yards from the summit when they were caught in a hailstorm.
As the climbers scrambled to get their waterproofs on, Shaun, 50, moved his rucksack off his feet.
His paraplegia meant he hadn’t felt his right leg being dragged under his chair and being smashed against rocks.
Shaun’s wife Dawn, daughter Niamh and fellow climber David Walters, raising cash for Help for Heroes, saw the drama unfold on Saturday.
David said: “Shaun had his rucksack sitting on his feet which was acting as a pouch.
“We were all lifting and pulling him up the pathways of Ben Nevis.
“Every time we stopped, we were checking that everything was fine.
“But we were 300 metres from the top at around 11.30am when a horrendous hailstorm came in.
“Everyone was putting on their waterproofs and Shaun leant down to move his rucksack.
“He lifted his leg up with his hand because he’s paraplegic and can’t feel anything and his right leg flopped 90 degrees.
“He said, ‘My leg’s broken’. Luckily we had experienced climbers with us and they splintered up Shaun’s leg.
“We raised the alarm. There was no way we were going to risk carrying him back down the mountain in that condition.”
The HM Coastguard helicopter from Prestwick, Ayrshire, was scrambled. The team arrived and quickly realised that Shaun needed expert help. They winched him up and and flew him to hospital in Inverness.
David said: “The rescue guys were absolutely amazing. You couldn’t have faulted them even if you’d wanted to.
“Getting Shaun help and then getting his wife and daughter down the mountain became the absolute priority for us.
“I’ve spoken to Shaun and he has a spiral fracture on his fibia, two tibia breaks and severe blistering on his lower leg. Once the swelling and blistering has gone down, and that could take seven to 14 days, they will then make a decision.
“They could repair his leg, which Shaun thinks is pointless as it’s a six-month recovery minimum and he has no use of the leg.”
David added: “The important thing is that Shaun is safe and off the mountain.”
Shaun is now contemplating having his lower right leg amputated.
But David added: “That decision will be made but Shaun’s very positive.
“He said, ‘Let’s get the charity names
out there.’” From his bed at Raigmore Hospital, Shaun later posted on Facebook: “They think I’m unique because I’m in no pain as I can’t really feel it.
“They’ve had to pull my leg without any pain and are baffled by it all.
“But it’s in a bad way so I’ve just got to wait and see what the doctors say.
“I’m fine. Let’s donate and get three grand for these charities.
“It was the toughest challenge yet, and it broke us, but let’s make it worthwhile. It’s all about the charities, not me.”
Shaun was in his 20s when he was a back seat passenger in a car that took a corner too fast and flipped over.
His spine was snapped in half when he was thrown out of the back window.
Shaun said: “I broke my back, ribs, shoulder and punctured both my lungs and they gave me two days to live.” Since then, Shaun, of Lancaster, has turned adventurer, challenger, motivational speaker, family man, and self-confessed “wheelchair nutter”.
He also manages No Fear on Wheels, who support those who need to use wheelchairs.
Help For Heroes provide recovery and support for the Armed Forces community whose lives are affected by their service.
Back-Up Trust help those with spinal injuries to build their confidence and independence. Calvert Trust Exmoor enable people with disabilities to experience outdoor activities and George’s Legacy offer support to bereaved parents.