“In August 2014, a motor vehicle accident left me comatose for 12 days and in the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital care for three months recovering from a severe traumatic brain injury. I needed to learn how to walk, talk, eat, everything.”
When Reece Crawford suffered severe injuries due to a car crash in 2014, he was left comatose and doctors were unsure whether he would ever regain his consciousness. Fast forward to June 2021, and Reece is running a half marathon to raise funds for the hospital that helped give him his life back.
“My love of running all started with a text message I received four and half years ago, from a friend I’d met because he was in the bed opposite me in rehab after my brain injury. He invited me to a local Parkrun, where I caught the running bug and haven’t looked back.”
That text message was the start of Reece’s journey towards his biggest achievement so far: the 2018 Brisbane Marathon. Reece was proud to run the marathon in 3 hours and 58 minutes. He attributes this accomplishment to listening to the right advice, staying on top of his nutrition and making sure he incorporated a proper recovery routine including massage.
In 2021, from June 10th – June 30th, Reece will be completing a running challenge to raise funds for the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. He will begin by running one kilometre on Day 1, and aims to add a kilometre every day until the final day will he will finish with a half marathon effort. Reece will be running each day in the hospital itself, on a treadmill on the ground floor.
“I’ll complete this by closely monitoring my nutrition, my recovery, and because I’ll be motivated by the very facility I’m running within.”
You can view Reece’s fundraising page here.
REECE’S TOP RECOVERY TIPS
“To maximise your recovery, don’t stop. Stay mobile, make sure you eat to refuel and regain some energy. Stretch. Then stretch again. ”
“My wife and my kids motivate me and support me through every part of my life. They were strong and stood by my side when the accident almost cost me my life. I believe that my children are the reason that I awoke from the coma that doctors were worried would claim me. Their belief in me has helped me to the finish line of six marathons so far, with more to come.”
