Dad is transformed after horror plunge (From Asian Image)

Dad is transformed after horror plunge

8:20pm Monday 25th December 2006 in News features By Newsquest Reporter

A man flew out to Dubai to thank in person the doctors who saved his life following a terrifying accident.

Raja Khan, 34, was working in Dubai in September 2004 when he plunged seven floors from a hotel balcony sustaining horrific injuries, including a neck and spine fracture, a broken wrist, ligament damage to the knee and deep lacerations.

He was put on a life-support machine for ten days and could not breathe without the aid of a ventilator.

Mr Khan, of Bradford, said: "All I can remember is waking up in hospital.

"I spent the best part of a year in hospital - three months in Dubai, then back to Bradford Royal Infirmary, Leeds and then back to BRI.

"I also had to be sent to London to see a top professor, who pulled out all the stops to help me recover."

And recover he has. The father-of-one says he has never been fitter and is even training to run a marathon.

"I don't blame anyone for the accident - it was self-inflicted," he said. "But it did make me reappraise my life."

The road to recovery has included a new healthy lifestyle, with a good diet and exercise.

"When I got the all-clear from the spinal consultant the last thing to sort out was the ligaments on my knee," he said.

"The rehabilitation is long term. I had surgery and was referred to St Luke's Hospital for physiotherapy but after lying in bed for the best part of a year and not being able to walk I had just bloated up.

"Before the accident I weighed about 95kg but that had gone up to 120kg. The basic sort of exercise my physio gave me, I was struggling to do, it was really hard work.

"It was him who inspired me and got me to stop feeling sorry for myself and just kept pestering me to join a gym."

Mr Khan was still reluctant but one day after a hospital appointment at St Luke's the physio personally took him to Fitness First gym in Horton Park.

"I felt so out of place," said Mr Khan. "I had never been a member of a gym before but the manager made me feel welcome and every time I went he asked how I was getting on.

"I have never looked back and my life has been transformed."

Fitness First assessed Mr Khan's needs and devised a regime, advising on new exercises to gradually increase his stamina.

In just under four months Mr Khan has reduced his body fat by 17 per cent and his weight has dropped to 92kg.

His achievements were recently recognised when he was a finalist in the 2006 Fitness First New You Achievement Awards and invited to attend a star-studded ceremony in London.

The awards were created to recognise and celebrate the health and fitness success stories of Fitness First members. There are four categories - shape, health, sport or fitness, and Mr Khan was a finalist in the health category.

He said: "Things are now on the up. I still have a few niggles but that is it. I would encourage others to join a gym. There has been a vast improvement in my shape and that was motivational for me.

"I was shocked to be nominated for an award - I joined the gym to get fit and loose weight not to win awards but it was fantastic to attend the ceremony in London. There was some very strong competition."

Mr Khan has now flown out to Dubai for a month-long trip to allow the doctors who saved his life to see for themselves the transformation.

"They really looked after me," he added.

By Claire Lomax