7/7 survivor's journey to Paralympics is a 'victory for every victim'

 
epa03376646 Martine Wright of Britain reacts during the women's sitting volleyball first pool A match between Great Britain and Ukraine at the London 2012 Paralympic Games in London, Britain, 31 August 2012. Wright lost both of her legs in the Aldgate underground explosion in the July 7 London. bombings in 2005. Ukraine won 3-0 EPA/TAL COHEN
EPA
31 August 2012

London 7/7 survivor Martine Wright today completed her inspirational journey to the Paralympics — and said it was a victory for every victim of the terror attacks.

The star of the sitting volleyball team was hailed as the true heroine of the Games as she wheeled herself onto court, wearing a No 7 vest, and blew kisses to the crowd.

It is seven years, seven weeks and six days since the July 7 bomb that claimed 52 lives and cost Wright her legs. Today, with tears in her eyes, she waved to her three-year-old son Oscar in the audience and said: “It was absolutely amazing to get to compete in front of my family and friends. This is a dream come true and a dream I did not have before July 7.

“I will never ever forget that day and never ever forget how many people lost their lives — the families who are living that every single day of their lives. I’m doing this for me but I’m also doing it for anyone who has been through something traumatic in their life.” Wright, 39, was sitting just 6ft from bomber Shezhad Tanweer on the train between Liverpool Street and Aldgate when he detonated his explosives in 2005.

She lost three-quarters of her blood and spent two weeks in an induced coma before having 12 operations to amputate both legs above the knee.

Today, as she played as a substitute during a match against Ukraine, she completed a journey that began as a bid to recover from her horrific injuries while watching the 2008 Beijing Paralympics. She was watched in the stands by her family and Liz Kenworthy, the off-duty police constable who helped to save her life on July 7.

Also in the crowd was Mayor Boris Johnson, who had Carry On and EastEnders actress Barbara Windsor as his guest.

Wright’s team lost 25-14 today. About 20 family and friends of the 7/7 survivor were in the auditorium and GB fans raised the roof as she came on to the court. Her first involvement in the game was to help win a thrilling point for the team, sending the crowd into raptures.

Despite the final score, it was the symbolism of her appearance on court that counted

When she went for rehabilitation, Britain’s sitting volleyball team happened to be training nearby.

She has now been an international player since 2010 and has claimed more than 40 caps.

As well as the ardent GB fans in the Excel Arena cheering her on, Wright was also being supported by husband Nick Wiltshire and son Oscar, who left their home in Tring at 5am to ensure they were not late for the match.

Sports-mad Wright admitted that her “brilliant” family and friends had helped her through her ordeal, adding: “I saw my son waving a big banner. That is now imprinted in my head.”

But she said she believed that “fate” had led her to the Paralympics, saying: “The day before the bombs went off was the day that London announced it had won the Olympic bid.

“All I kept thinking was, ‘How am I going to get tickets?’ Then, in a weird twist of fate, the bombing happened that day — and seven years on I’m going to the Paralympics.”

She added: “I knew I wanted to do something as a result of losing my legs. Sitting volleyball made me realise that I could either feel sorry for myself for the rest of my life or I could just get on and do it.

“This is a unique, fast-paced game. You’re not sitting still for one second.

“I knew I wanted to do something as a result of losing my legs, otherwise for me to have been on the Tube that day would have been a waste of time. It really helped me in my recovery. It got me out with like-minded girls who had gone through something in their lives, it shared experiences.

“It made me realise that I could either feel sorry for myself for the rest of my life or I could just get on and do it.

“I have a choice to live my life whatever it may hold and 52 people that day didn’t have a choice.

“I will never ever forget that day. I just want to make everyone proud.”

Mr Johnson and Ms Windsor later took to the court for an impromptu game at the end of the match.

The actress said: “It was really, really fantastic.”

Mr Johnson said it had been “inspiring” to see Wright play.

He said: “It was terrific to watch her play and as soon as she came on the team started to play better.

“Purists often say you should concentrate on the athletes and the sport and nothing about the back-story, but you can’t help but be amazed at what she has had to overcome. It is inspiring.”

Friend Sandy Warden, 49, from Tring, said it had been great to see Wright in action.

She said: “It was fantastic. We are all very proud of her.”

Describing her recovery, Wright revealed she began with small steps on prosthetic legs. She fell down. But she got back up, again and again. She said: “When you go through something traumatic in your life ... you sometimes lose who you are.

“You’re thrown in this completely new world. When it happened to me, it didn’t sort of happen overnight, suddenly, an epiphany—Right. I can live my life now. It’s a very gradual process.”

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