A Golcar man’s battle back from the brink of death has been little short of miraculous.

Jamie Murrant suffered horrendous injuries in a road accident in 2015 and doctors warned his family they were life changing and he may never walk or possibly even talk again.

But 32-year-old Jamie showed his Yorkshire grit and is both walking and talking along with working and singing in a choir.

He joined Gledholt Male Voice Choir and you can see him singing in a charity concert raising money for the charity Headway which helped his family in the immediate aftermath of the accident. Headway specialises in supporting people who have sustained serious life changing brain injuries and their families.

Jamie was educated at St John’s Junior and Infant School in Golcar, Colne Valley High and Greenhead College before doing a Masters degree in physics at Manchester University which included a year at Berkeley University’s San Francisco campus.

He moved to London after graduating and worked as a business analyst for financial giant Fidelity International before disaster struck.

Jamie had gone on a night out with work colleagues to celebrate the successful conclusion of an eight-month project and caught a cab back to his digs in south London.

But as he got out of the taxi he was struck by a passing car and left with severe head, neck and multiple injuries.

By sheer good fortune an off-duty paramedic saw what happened and managed to help Jamie until the ambulance and police arrived.

Jamie Murrant (left) with ‘Brain Buddy’ Jez Simpson

Jamie said: “He had seen the way I was struck and my neck had been thrown to such an acute angle he knew there must be serious damage so he made sure no-one touched or moved me until other paramedics arrived.”

Jamie spent the next seven months in hospital and can remember very little about it. His parents moved down from Huddersfield to live in London temporarily so they could be with him every day.

Jamie said: “All I know is that I was really smashed up and what happened has left me scarred for life both physically and psychologically and my family was really traumatised too.

“The fact that I have no memory of those nine months makes me wonder if my brain was blanking it out so I didn’t have to endure the trauma. I had to learn to talk, walk and even count again … basically my parents were back to dealing with a child once more.”

Jamie said some medical staff told his family there was little hope that Jamie would ever walk unaided again and would be left a very different person by the accident.

But he said consultant neurologist Dr Colette Griffin, who has developed and runs a multi-disciplinary traumatic brain injury service at St George’s Hospital in London, had faith he would improve way beyond expectations and his determination has proved her right.

“Mum said Dr Griffin was a beacon of hope,” said Jamie. “She told them ‘he’s your son and you know him best’ and they knew I had the drive and determination needed. I tackled my injuries like I did my studies by just keeping going and doing something again and again until I got it right. At first I needed two sticks to walk. I don’t use them at all now.”

Rehabilitation for Jamie’s traumatic brain injury included physiotherapy along with speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and psychology and he tries to keep his muscles in shape doing pilates, yoga and also just walking.

Jamie is pictured far right with Gledholt MVC

Life is different but Jamie feels he’s continually improving and has lived independently for the last three years with support.

His neighbour, Jez Simpson, has become his ‘brain buddy’ and they now go out and about together and have just started playing crown green bowls at Outlane Bowling Club.

“It really helps with balance, posture, co-ordination and forward-thinking,” said Jamie.

He volunteered at Slaithwaite-based Experience Community CIC (https://www.experiencecommunity.co.uk/) which helps disabled people access the outdoors through walking, cycling, conservation and arts activities and he’s just started paid work there two days a week as its Activity and Events Officer.

Jamie has also done voluntary work for community group the Friends of Slaithwaite Spa which protects and maintains an area of historic parkland in Slaithwaite.

Jamie first became involved with Gledholt Male Voice Choir when he heard them singing in the Scape House Inn at Scapegoat Hill just before Christmas 2021. People were invited to get up and sing with the choir, Jamie quickly joined in and has been a member ever since.

The choir is staging a fundraising concert at Scapegoat Hill Baptist Church on Friday, April 26, at 7pm to raise money for Headway and local dementia charities.

Jamie with his grandad Brian Holmes

Jamie’s grandad, Brian Holmes, has been so impressed by how singing in the choir has greatly improved Jamie’s confidence, helping his recovery and rehabilitation, that he is sponsoring the concert.

Scapegoat Hill Baptist Church is helping to organise the event and provided the chapel free of charge.

Tickets can be ordered for £9 in advance from Trevor Briggs by texting or phoning 07552 371033 or by emailing tremarbriggs@hotmail.com

They can also be bought online from https://www.wegottickets.com/Gledholt

Tickets on the door will be £10.

Written by ANDY HIRST who runs his own Yorkshire freelance journalism agency AH! PR (https://ah-pr.com/) specialising in press releases, blogging, website content and copywriting.