GRAND National-winning jockey Jason Maguire was not going to miss a chance to support Shipston resident David Seel’s
Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA) fund-raiser.
Jason was rushed to University Hospital Coventry by air ambulance in March after being kicked by a horse at Stratford Racecourse. He was so seriously injured he had to be placed in a medically-induced coma for a time.
But the 33-year-old Irishman, who rode Ballabriggs to victory in the 2011 Grand National, pulled through and thanked WNAA for saving his life.
And although he was recently back in hospital for on-going treatment, as soon as he left he headed straight for Cheltenham Racecourse, where 67-yera-old David was holding his own thank you fund-raising event for WNAA.
And it turned out to be a night to remember as £130,000 was raised – ten times more than the previous highest amount ever achieved at a WNAA fund-raiser.
David, organised the event – which included a reception, dinner, horse race and auction – after the air ambulance saved his life.
Last year he was told he only had ten minutes to live when a burst vein caused him to lose five pints of blood.
But the quick response from the team meant the ambulance got to his Shipston home in time to save his life.
Jason said: “Who knows what could have happened had the air ambulance not been on hand. Words don’t do justice. But some words I do need to say are that I couldn’t believe that air ambulances are not government-funded – that they are paid for by charitable donations is amazing.”
WNAA is completely funded by donations and can be anywhere in Warwickshire within nine minutes.
Visit www.theairambulanceservice.org.uk to find out more or donate.
