Soldier reveals he was left at the ‘lowest end of humanity’ after plane crash that left him with third degree burns and put him in hospital for two years – but says he’s living proof that anyone can bounce back
- Jamie Hull, a SAS veteran, survived a plane crash that left him with burns in 2007
- Soldier escaped death ‘by the grace of god’ and has penned a book on his ordeal
- Life on a Thread, out today, recounts Jamie’s incredible story of survival
- He told Lorraine Kelly the book was dedicated to the nurse who kept him going
A pilot who nearly died when his plane crashed and burst into flames told Lorraine Kelly he survived by the ‘grace of god.’
Londoner Jamie Hull was left with third degree burns on 60 per cent of his body after the accident in 2007 in Florida, wich occurred when he was off duty.
Speaking to Lorraine Kelly on the day his book Life On a Thread is published, the SAS veteran said the nurse who cared for him is his only memory of the aftermath of the crash, and that her voice kept him going.
Viewers were ‘in awe’ of Jamie’s resilience and applauded the work he’s done for charity since his accident, which saw him spend two years recovering in hospital.
The soldier, pictured before the accident,’ said he went to the ‘lowest end’ of humanity, going from being very fit to spending two years in a hospital, recovering from his injuries
Speaking of why he dedicated his book to the nurse who accompanied him during his hospital treatment, Jamie said: ‘To be perfectly honest, she’s the only thing I remember from being airlifted following that and then being placed in drug-induced coma from six months of my life.
‘Her voice was the only thing I actually remember, it kept me going, hence the dedication for the book,’ he added.
Jamie explained he managed to leave the plane by climbing on to the left wing, which was engulfed in flames, and jumping from the edge.
Following the accident, in addition to the burns on his flesh, Jamie suffered a number of internal injuries, including kidney failure, renal failure, pneumonia and speticaemia.
Londoner Jamie Hull, pictured, was left with third degree burns on 60 per cent of his body after he was caught in the terrible accident in 2007 in Florida, when he was off duty. He;s now penned a book recounting his ordeal and talked about his experience to TV host Lorraine Kelly
Jamie was off duty went his aircraft caught flames while 1,000ft above the ground, With flames reaching his legs, Jamie worked through the pain to bring the plane (pictured) down in order to escape
Doctors gave him a five per cent chance of survival, but Jamie was able to pull through.
He said he survived thanks to ‘quick thinking and the skin of my teeth and some would say ‘by the grace of God.’
Presenter Lorraine said she didn’t know how he managed to pull through with the incredible amount of pain his body was put through after the crash.
‘One point that I’d like to make, is that I was a very fit guy, I was an elite soldier,’ he said.
‘I got the lowest end of humanity because of the burns you described, some 63 percent third and fourth degree.
He thanked the hospital staff who helped save his life and accompanied his recovery.
‘To quote one aspect of the book for the listeners, I became adjunct of machinery. A living receptical for machines, wires, tubes and powerful pharmaceuticals, with a great help from the medical teams both in Florida in the private hospital there and a lot of credit to the staff of the NHS for the total of two years I was in the hospital,’ he said.
Viewers were in aw of Jamie’s story of resilience, with some saying he was an amazing guy and applauding his charity work
‘I was able to keep fighting and hold on with everything I had and pull through.
He said he hoped his story would inspire other people facing challenges in their lives.
‘I think ultimately, it’s a real journey my story, it’s the comeback story book from the very lowest end to what you can go down to,’ he said.
‘Ultimately, I’d like people to take strength and I believe that they will and a degree hope from my story to go forward in their own lives.’
Jamie revealed he was able to obtain a scholarship to learn to operate hot air balloons following his accident.
Jamie told Lorraine the voice of his nurse was the one thing that help him going during a drug-induced coma in hospital
‘To improve on my self confidence, self esteem, I can’t emphasis what that did for me to get back up in the air again,’ he said, adding he had come ‘full circle.
The survivor said one of his ‘greatest love affairs,’ was diving, and that he was overjoyed to being able to go back to his hobby following the accident.
‘I actually went back to it, when I was on my hospital bed, I dreamed of going back to the ocean, but I didn’t think necessarily that I would be able to dive again.
‘I was worried of the effect of salt water on my new skin grafts,’ he added.
However, Jamie revealed he was able to go back diving, and that the mineral balance in ocean water actually helped his skin heal.
The rookie soldier was off duty when he travelled to Florida for a chance to learn to pilot.
But disaster struck when his engine caught fire when Jamie was 1,000ft above the ground.
With flames reaching his legs, Jamie’s adrenaline kicked in, and he was able to ignore the pain in order to bring the plane down to 15ft above the ground so he could escape by climbing onto the left wing of the aircraft.
He spent six months in a medically-induced coma, and a further 18 months in hospital recovering.
Jamie has been able to rebuild his life after the accident, participating in marathons, the Race Across America and competing in the Invictus Games, the Mirror reported.
Source: Read Full Article
