The English football team visited an orphanage In Brazil today – it was heartbreaking to see their sad little faces with no hope, said Jose aged 6 .

In my first physical assessment at the physio clinic today, my physio told me that he couldn’t believe my physical condition, given only 10 months out of intensive care.

He said the stuff I did today was on a parallel with professional athletes.

I decided not to press him any further as to which particular athletes he was thinking of..!

But I think he was being complimentary  🙂

Hey Slim, been reading your blog, makes me think of the nightmare in Toulon. You have come along way bro, great job, proud of you. Keep up the fight x

Will be thinking of you on Sunday – your life may have been turned upside down but what you have achieved in no less than a year is nothing short of miraculous, and how you have grown as an individual is testament to who you are and how you will inspire others in the future.
X

Thinking of you today ya big fat git
I know ur life has changed irrevocably and not for the better

I know u miss all that you did. Every aspect of every thing has changed
You have to know how much we all love you. Ya donkey

Cos we do
And this summer in QDL we will do fun things. An next winter we WILL go skiing

And we will continue to do those things for the rest of our lives

Cos I ain’t going away. I will always be here for you you oaf.

Love you man

G

A year ago today I never knew how much my heart would break to see someone so special to me have their world torn apart. I think of you more often than you know, I pray for your happiness. I still think of you every day. I always smile knowing how determined and strong you are, how much of an inspiration you have always been and continue to be.
Hey you’ve come a long long way, can’t believe how the year has just disappeared and we nearly lost you…. Glad you’re still you, even if it is in a wheelchair, glad I know someone like you and glad you’re still around. Lots of love. Xxxxxxx

Hi baby – the end of a nightmare year for you . Time for a great new chapter. Thinking of you and how wonderful it is that you are still with us xxx

Dearest Russ
Have just read your blog and you really are busy! I shall try and send you really positive thoughts because, to me, where you are now is not far short of a miracle of strength and will power on your behalf. As you know, I flew with Dani to Toulon on the Saturday after your accident, 15th June. I don’t know what we both expected but it certainly wasn’t what we found. Your condition was horrific. During the five weeks I spent in Toulon, seeing you every day, I never imagined, in my wildest dreams you would be where you are today. I congratulate you with all my heart and hope tonight’s festivities will be a celebration of your amazing progress.
Very much love
Jenni xxx

Read your blog. Hope you have a great time celebrating a year of not being dead. I and many others are happy to know you’re still here.

Now on my flight having left the chaotic-ness (if that’s a word) behind and able to read your blog in peace and quiet for once! I’ve been reflecting a lot recently on life that was going on this time last year and still find it utterly surreal that what happened to you did and how afterwards life has not been the same for so many people. To think how many lives you touched so dramatically and how you continue to do so and probably always will. I just want to hug you and cry for joy at how much you have achieved in the last year since we all thought we might never speak and laugh with you again. At least one person asks me almost everyday ‘How’s ‘your friend’ [if they don’t know you] Russ doing?’ And I always slightly struggle for an answer that will be worthy of the complexity of the reality without making the answer last for half an hour! And the reality is, without any solid facts on this of course, that you have achieved more in one year than I’m sure anyone ever has with your level of paralysis. And yet reeling off all the physical boundaries you have miraculously crossed must not, in my mind when I answer them, gloss over the endurance you mentally and physically face everyday, which is only witnessed by those close to you including me of course. I’ve also been thinking back to the moment I received the first text from Dani saying briefly what had happened and that she was flying out to Toulon the next day. Which was then followed by numerous texts from her and other people as the enormity of the situation unfolded. The month that followed was a total blur, for many others too, I’m sure, and although I was lucky enough not to be working then, so I could drop everything to not only fly out to see you and be a support to Dani and Amber, but the flip side of that meant that I couldn’t focus on anything except thinking about you and I couldn’t help but to crumble inside. I guess it’s my closeness I felt/feel to you and Dani and then witnessing your initial physical weakness and Dani’s incredible mental strength, (only imagining how bloody hard that must have been) made me crumble even more. What is it about ‘a year on’ that helps to turn the corner of ‘moving on’. Are you feeling it more so this week? For what it’s worth that deep sadness I’ve felt as a result of your pain (that even stopped me wanting to sing!) is just starting to subside. Maybe it’s because I now see you starting to return to a sense of ‘normality’. Going back to work, driving a car, being at the school gates……even smiling behind the eyes (and not just for the sake of people around you) …now the thought of that is making me well up, as always…..uh oh, and now tears are falling down my cheeks!…..
Lots of love for now Action Man darling…..who would have ever thought you wld be able to get your physique back within a year!