Jackson proves point to the extreme
AFTER defying medical opinion to complete his second mountain walk, miracle man Ed Jackson is aiming to scale new heights in the shadow of Mount Everest.
After being told he might never walk again after suffering spinal injuries during a freak swimming pool accident in 2017, former Dragons No.8 Jackson ascended Snowdon in April before last week scaling 10,000ft Mount Buet to complete a gruelling Alpine challenge.
It is a remarkable achievement for the exBath, Wasps, Doncaster and London Welsh player, who 17 months ago was told that he might never make it out of the quadriplegic category by the surgeons who saved him at Southmead Hospital, Bristol.
Jackson, who is raising money for the RPA’s Restart Rugby campaign, is plotting two further Alpine ventures next year before heading to Nepal, where his efforts in connection with the Birminghambased Neverest Foundation will help build a spinal unit there.
Fresh from his latest astounding achievement in France, never-say-die Jackson told The Rugby Paper: “It was a pretty amazing experience, much tougher than I thought it would be. If I’d known how tough I’d have been more worried, but it made it extra-satisfying.
“Unlike Snowdon, there was no path and I was on all-fours at times and climbing over boulders, but it’s pushed my boundaries on again looking ahead to next year.”
Among those supporting Jackson on last week’s challenge in France were RPA chief executive Damian Hopley, ex-Saracens No.10 Charlie Hodgson and long-time rugby mate Mike Denbee.
Jackson added: “The reason I did Snowdon in the first place was to give me a focus with all the rehab I was doing. When you’re told you probably won’t walk again it hits you pretty hard so I wanted to prove those doctors wrong, although not in a bad way.
“I wanted to raise money to pay back the charities that supported me and we’re well on the way to doing that. I also wanted to set an example by inspiring other people and I’ve been overwhelmed by some of the messages I’ve had which left me in tears.
“Together with Chamonix Hard Cross, who put last week’s Alpine Challenge together, we’ll do a couple more things in the Alps next year, then Nepal. I’m going out to Nepal next month to recce what needs doing and how much money we’ll need to raise.”