VIDEO: Dad called 'miracle man' after surviving motorbike crash speaks of his determination to walk again

Gareth Hughes, 36, was out riding with friends when he fell off his bike on the B4235 between Chepstow and Usk on May 29 last year, leaving him in a critical condition with a broken back in three places, broken ribs and sternum and punctured lungs.

The dad of four was in a coma for six weeks, in which time his heart stopped twice.

Unable to speak, sit up or pick up a pen, Mr Hughes was told it was unlikely he would ever be able to walk again.

“The surgeon who did the initial operation said he had never seen a break that bad,” said Mr Hughes, who currently uses a wheelchair.

“If I didn’t have the muscle mass I did I would have died straight away.

“They were calling me the miracle man because after I had a blood clot on my chest some of my friends were getting ready to say goodbye to me.”

Mr Hughes, formerly of Chepstow and now Lydney, is now able to move his feet and is in “no doubt” that he will walk again.

The former doorman is continuing his recovery with the help of Bertie’s Caldicot Amateur Boxing Club (ABC) in Sudbrook.

Martin Lewis, who runs the club, has been coaching Mr Hughes as part of his recovery so that he can hopefully achieve a long-held dream to have a boxing match.

“He has no movement of his legs whatsoever, his whole life has completely changed and he is still trooping on, he is still positive,” said Mr Lewis, 35, of Longfellow Place, Caldicot.

“He is more determined than ever, it is really inspirational.”

The gym, which opened in January, has been awarded £2,500 from the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Partnership Fund to buy new boxing equipment.

Mr Lewis wants to encourage people with disabilities to join, as well as diverting young people away from anti-social behaviour.

A total of 82 projects are sharing in a slice of the £299,075.46 awarded by Gwent PCC Jeff Cuthbert from his partnership fund. The scheme is funded by the proceeds of crime awarded to the police and from the sale of unclaimed found property.

This includes money seized from organised crime groups.

Groups to have received funding include Barnardo’s in Newport who have been given a grant of £6,152 to enable them to run a 12 month therapeutic programme for children and parents who have been affected by domestic violence and abuse and The Ebbw Vale Institute who received £4,000 to develop a hub which will provide information around crime prevention, victim support and addressing anti-social behaviour. In addition they will provide advice services for those affected or concerned by crime and will run a series of events with partners including a security marking event where people can bring bikes and property to be marked and a range of forum style events to establish a partnership response to particular areas of concern in the community.

A project which aims to support isolated elderly people and children is among a range of projects in Torfaen receiving a cash boost today. The Bethel Chapel Community Group in Blaenavon have been awarded £3,750 to further support their lunch club that works with disadvantaged and elderly people to help them feel connected and make new friends. They also plan to run a range of activities such as a weekly disco and sports and social activities to keep children and young people off the streets.

Gwent PCC Mr Cuthbert, said: “I know that small amounts of funding can often make a big difference to people’s lives and can sometimes be the catalyst which can help small community projects to develop, grow and help even more people The Partnership Fund is a fantastic way of putting money we have seized from criminals back into the public purse so it can be used for positive community action.”

A full list of grant recipients:

Beaufort Hill Primary School Parent and Teacher Association £4,000.00 Blaenau Gwent

Garnlydan Juniors AFC £1,515.00 Blaenau Gwent

Brynmawr Interact Club £2,000.00 Blaenau Gwent

Coed Cae Interact Club £1,500.00 Blaenau Gwent

Abertillery Belles £750.00 Blaenau Gwent

RTB Mini & Junior Rugby £1,000.00 Blaenau Gwent

Tredegar RFC £5,400.00 Blaenau Gwent

Heads of the Valleys Swim Club £400.00 Blaenau Gwent

Heads of the Valleys Tang Soo Do £1,000.00 Blaenau Gwent

Abertillery Bowls Club Ltd £2,336.31 Blaenau Gwent

Abertillery Bluebirds £1,500.00 Blaenau Gwent

Ebbw Vale Institute £4,000.00 Blaenau Gwent

Rhymney Rugby Football Club £1,500.00 Caerphilly

Karaoke Kids £1,000.00 Caerphilly

Calfaria Baptist Chapel £500.00 Caerphilly

White Rose Primary £4,500.00 Caerphilly

St James Primary School £1,500.00 Caerphilly

St Martins PTA £4,000.00 Caerphilly

1st Ystrad Mynach Scout Group £2,000.00 Caerphilly

Bargoed YMCA £7,200.00 Caerphilly

Newbridge Memo Ltd £1,000.00 Caerphilly

Karate Budokan International £1,000.00 Caerphilly

Rhymney Valley Athletics Club £2,000.00 Caerphilly

Caerphilly Borough Mind £1,920.00 Caerphilly

Menter Iaith Sir Caerffili £9,950.00 Caerphilly

Cwm Gwyddon Explorer Scouts £3,000.00 Caerphilly

To Person Parent Advocacy £290.00 Caerphilly

Phillipstown Residents & Community Association £2,310.00 Caerphilly

Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni £9,915.78 Caerphilly

Yodokan Budo Association £2,000.00 Caerphilly

Graig Y Rhacca Resource Centre £5,000 Caerphilly

1st Chepstow Boy & Girls Brigade £1,000.00 Monmouthshire

The Heron Local Community Group £6,250.00 Monmouthshire

King Henry VIII Comprehensive School £9,294.00 Monmouthshire

Abergavenny Rhinos Athletic Club £1,000.00 Monmouthshire

Abergavenny Crafty Women £9,890.00 Monmouthshire

1st Wyesham Scout Group £500.00 Monmouthshire

Cross Ash Luncheon Club £500.00 Monmouthshire

First Gilwern Scout Group £5,950.00 Monmouthshire

Buckholt Indoor Community Bowls £1,000.00 Monmouthshire

Spirit of Monmouth Running Club £1,500.00 Monmouthshire

Abergavenny Cricket Club £1,000.00 Monmouthshire

Bertie’s Caldicot Amateur Boxing Club £2,500.00 Monmouthshire

Chepstow Boxing Club £2,200.00 Monmouthshire

Dingestow Short Mat Bowling Club £1,000.00 Monmouthshire

Newport Cricket Club £1,000.00 Newport

Shaftesbury Youf Gang £595.00 Newport

Stow Park Community Centre £8,000.00 Newport

Newport YMCA £6,330.97 Newport

Newport School of Tae Kwon-Do £1,000.00 Newport

Multisport Social Health & Wellbeing £1,339.00 Newport

Barnardo's £6,152.00 Newport

Pillgwenlly Millennium Trust Ltd £9,914.00 Newport

Millbrook Primary School £9,576.30 Newport

Islamic Society for Wales £4,000.00 Newport

Newport Cycle Speedway Club £250.00 Newport

1st Llanmartin Scout Group £4,500.00 Newport

RASCAL £9,684.10 Newport

Action for Children - MIST £2,500 Torfaen

Torfaen Warriors Amateur Boxing Club £1,000.00 Torfaen

Randomz Skills, Education and Enterprise Academy £3,000.00 Torfaen

Noddfa Baptist Church £500.00 Torfaen

Bethlehem Chapel Community Group £3,750.00 Torfaen

Coed Eva Athletic FC £1,000.00 Torfaen

Torfaen Leisure Trust £2,000.00 Torfaen

Xcelerate Youth / Lighthouse Church £7,000.00 Torfaen

Riot City Ravens £2,000 Pan Gwent

Newport Womens Aid £9,400.00 Pan Gwent

Freaks Fitness / Pen Y Fan Amateur Boxing Club £1,335.00 Pan Gwent

Help4Wales Foundation £6,754.00 Pan Gwent

Nant Celyn Primary School £5,000.00 Pan Gwent

Dewis Centre Independent Living £5,000 Pan Gwent

Croesyceiliog AFC £1,500.00 Pan Gwent

Arts Council of Wales £5,000.00 Pan Gwent

Wild Tots £4,258.00 Pan Gwent

Action for Children - Childrens Charity £9,150.00 Pan Gwent

Van Road Trails Committee £10,000.00 Pan Gwent

Welsh Refugee Council £10,000.00 Pan Gwent

Gwent Sword Club £3,000.00 Multiple Areas of Gwent

Friends of Alway £10,000.00 Multiple Areas of Gwent

Torfaen Qigong £2,000.00 Multiple Areas of Gwent

Roots @ Bettws a vision 21 project £2,016.00 Multiple Areas of Gwent