AN EVER grateful south Warwickshire resident has completed the Two Castles Run to raise vital funds for the air ambulance charity that helped save his life.
In 2022 David Jenkins, from Lighthorne Heath, received lifesaving intervention from the crew onboard the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA) following a car accident.
He had been driving his Mazda MX-5 at 7.30am on Friday November 25 when, only five minutes into his journey, he went round a bend near Bishop’s Itchington and was in collision with a car heading in the opposite direction.
Due to the nature and severity of his injuries, David needed advanced pre-hospital emergency intervention fast – which is where the clinical skills of the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance helped to save David’s life.
David spent two months in intensive care after suffering life changing injuries and then spent time on a neuro ward, as well as a neuro rehab hospital – spending a total of six months in hospital.
Now living with a brain injury David, along with the support of his wife Rachel, took up running to help with his recovery and to improve his mobility.
And on Sunday June 8 this year David and Rachel Jenkins took on the Two Castles Run, beginning in the grounds of Warwick Castle and finishing at Kenilworth Castle.
So far David has managed to raise around £2,000 to support the charity with further lifesaving missions in Warwickshire and further afield.
Unfortunately, on race day David was suffering from an injury which meant extra assistance from Rachel by pushing David in a wheelchair some of the way round.
David said: “We made it across the start and finish, running across the start and finish line. Rachel gave me a lot of assistance all the way round pushing in the wheelchair, but we did it.
“What kept us going was raising all the funds for the air ambulance service and knowing how much support they’ve given us.”
Rachel added: “It means everything to us to get across the finish line. I don’t think we thought we could do it at some points, but seeing where David came from after his accident to now, it’s amazing.”
David has now signed up to take part in the Rugby Half Marathon on Sunday October 19.
