Paralysed instructor in Veteran Games
APARACHUTE instructor who was left paralysed after an aerial collision is heading to an international sporting contest.
Wheelchair athlete Rob Budgen is travelling to Israel to compete at the 2022 Veteran Games.
Mr Budgen, who lives in Cowbridge, broke several vertebrae in his neck and severely damaged his spinal cord after an aerial collision.
RAF Corporal Mr Budgen, originally from Cornwall, was on exercise in California when the accident happened.
He was 31 when he fell 800ft to the ground at more than 50mph when his parachute got tangled with another jumper during a mid-air collision.
Mr Budgen, now 37, said he remembers looking at his colleagues before pulling his parachute cord and giving the ‘thumbs-up’.
The next thing he recalls is waking up in a hospital in California.
Mr Budgen is now a tetraplegic and uses a wheelchair.
The games were first held in 2019, and 65 British wounded, sick and injured armed forces veterans will travel with their families to compete against their Israeli counterparts, who are battling identical challenges.
They will go head to head in a variety of sports while learning how their respective countries provide care for those injured in the service of their country.
Mr Budgen has received backing from the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund, which has helped him since the accident and selected him to take part.
Mr Budgen said: “Taking part in the Veteran Games is such an incredible opportunity, and I can’t wait to compete, meet other veterans and share our military experiences.”
This year’s Veteran Games and Conference will take place in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, Israel.
Families will also have the chance to meet and share their experiences while enjoying social activities and cultural events.
The Veteran Games is funded entirely by philanthropic donations. Leading rehabilitation and armed forces charities have nominated beneficiaries and, where applicable, families who they feel would particularly benefit from this event.
Supporting organisations include Rock2Recovery, Royal Air Force
Benevolent Fund, The Not Forgotten Association, The Royal Marines Charity, The Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and Women, Veterans Scotland, FELIX Fund, SSAFA, Blind Veterans UK, Poppy Scotland and RBL Scotland.
The games will be held at state-ofthe-art facilities run by the charity Beit Halochem, which offers rehabilitation, sports and recreation centres and lifelong care for disabled veterans and their families in Israel.
Beit Halochem UK is a charity devoted to raising awareness and funds for Israel’s wounded veterans and victims of terror.