Roger's remarkable journey from death's door to London Marathon

Roger (40) admits he “should have died” in a motorbike accident in Great Oxendon, near Market Harborough in February 2015.

His injuries included 14 broken ribs, three broken vertebrae in his spine, and a smashed leg and kneecap. He had nine months of operations and reconstructive surgery.

He still needs regular and painful physiotherapy.

But Roger, who works for Travis Perkins, is determined to complete the London Marathon on April 23.

“When I told my physio, she just said ‘bloody hell Roger!’” admits the married father of one.

“I’ll be walking the 26 miles in about eight hours. So far my evening training has got me up to around five miles in 15 minute miles.”

Roger will be raising money for the East Midlands Air Ambulance service.

He has become quite an ambassador for the Air Ambulance, even giving a talk about his experiences at Leicester Cathedral in front of hundreds of people.

“My doctors said I should have died from my injuries” he said. “I’m sure I wouldn’t be here without the doctors and without the Air Ambulance.”

Donote to Air Ambulance via Roger’s justgiving page here: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Roger-Freeman2

“I’m ex-Army, so I’ve done a lot of walking - but never 26 miles” said Roger.

“And after two years of surgery and physiotherapy, I’m so unfit it’s not funny.”

As for the horrific crash, he says: “I can’t remember it, and still feel so detached from it.

“It’s been worse for my wife Helen, from the moment she got the knock on the door from the police, and that ‘are you the wife of Roger Freeman?’”