Fitter tells of mental torment after steelworks horror MY LEG WAS DRAGGED SLOWLY THROUGH CONVEYOR BELT GAP
IN 1997, Mal Emerson’s life was changed in a matter of minutes. The 61-year-old was involved in a horrific industrial accident at work and his injuries broke him, both physically and mentally.
Now, 22 years on, he has a support network around him, has just won an award with the Welsh Council of Voluntary Action, and his work has managed to save five local men from the brink of suicide, all just from walking, and most importantly – talking.
Mal was a fitter at the Port Talbot steelworks towards the end of the ’90s on a conveyor belt when a drum caught his foot and forced nearly his entire leg through a one-and-a-half-inch gap.
“It pulled me in slowly,” said Mal, recalling the traumatic incident. “I was calling out for help, but no-one could hear me. It tore me in two very slowly.”
Mal’s leg was completely crushed and he had to stay in hospital for six weeks. He was allowed to go home to Port Talbot, because he had a bedroom and bathroom downstairs, but he was bed bound for a further five months.
“Walking was incredibly difficult,” Mal said. “For three years I didn’t have the spring in my foot to be able to kick off and take a proper step from it. I’ve had six operations, there is no quick fix for the injuries I sustained.”
The physical injuries were severe, but it was the mental injuries that Mal suffered with most.
Mal managed to return to work in 2002, but still wasn’t happy, so he retrained in fundraising and has worked for Bulldog Boxing Gym in Port Talbot since 2014. However, it was in 2016, 19 years after his accident, having not really spoken about his feelings, that he reached his lowest point.
“I couldn’t see a future” he said, adding: “I hated the dark nights with a vengeance. Everything seemed colourless to me.
“I would walk as far as I could, full well knowing that I wouldn’t be able to get back. It was a way of torturing myself.
“I realised that I couldn’t give 100%, but I thought, well, if everyday I could do 1% better, then I’m getting somewhere.”
Mal decided to build up his strength walking, using his crutches, and gave himself the target of everyday he would walk one lamppost further than before.
He would go on longer and longer walks, clearing his mind, and would often take photos of the views he would reach and post them online.
“A couple of the lads said that they would like to join me on a walk, so I posted a date, time, and meeting point of my next trip out, and I was astounded when 16 of them were there.”
Little did Mal know this gathering was the start of something that would not only transform his life, but of others around him.
A few months later Mal’s Marauders were formed.
Mal said: “It’s a really simple concept. All you need is a flask and a rucksack. We start walking and after a little while you will just see these blokes start to open up and talk.
“We rate the walks on difficulty from 1-10, and we always walk to the speed of the slowest walker, so it can be suitable to anyone and everyone.”
The group has recently won the 2019 Welsh Council for Voluntary Action award form Community Engagement.
At the time the chairman of the walking group, Graham Davies, said: “In just two years, we have been able to demonstrate the simple power of physical exercise in nature. These practical interventions – using the latest technology – have transformed the mental health of our members and has saved lives. We’re immensely proud and honoured to have won this award for our work in engaging with our community.”
Mal revealed that: “Alongside the group we have a WhatsApp chat that provides invaluable peer support to any man who feels down or troubled.
“There are no therapists or medication – simply men helping men. In fact, five men have revealed that the WhatsApp group alone has directly prevented their planned suicide.”
Although Mal is the founder of the group, he said there were no leaders: “Everybody helps each other. I need help too. Everything used to feel dark to me, but now when I open up I feel like I’m a born fighter. I’m still in a tremendous amount of pain, but I can feel positive because I’m helping others and that is my motivation and drive.”
Drive is something Mal certainly has bucketloads of.
He is hoping that in the future he can provide mentorship to new groups in other areas.
Mal’s Marauders have also teamed up with Bulldog Boxing Gym in Port Talbot, Samaritans and Neath Port Talbot College to deliver Mental Health First Aid to 300 sports’ clubs in total.
It is thought that this will positively impact on the lives of thousands of men and provide each club with a qualified person for club members to talk about their mental health. This mental health training cannot come at a better time as, according to Men’s Health Forum, 76% of suicides in the UK are men.
One in eight men suffer from one of the common mental health disorders and men are far less likely than women to access psychological therapies.
If you would like to join Mal and his marauding men you can visit the website or email them.
Anyone seeking help for issues like the ones raised in this article can call the Samaritansfor confidential support on 116 123.