FIGHTING for life in hospital after a bomb blast, the future looked bleak for
Royal Marine John-James Chalmers.
Fast-forward three years and he will represent his country in Prince Harry’s
first Invictus Games.
But the moment he was caught in the blast in 2011, which killed two of his
colleagues, will always be etched in his memory.
JJ, 26, who was serving with 42 Commando in Afghanistan’s notorious Helmand
province, recalls: “We suspected a building was being used as a bomb-making
factory so went in to clear it.
“My friend stepped on an IED [Improvised Explosive Device]. All the rubble
that comes flying off a bomb came my way.
“I got wounds in my legs – holes that had to be stapled shut. My arms
were destroyed. My face was crushed. My eardrums burst. My neck was broken.
“When I woke up I thought: ‘There goes activity, there goes a young man’s
life’. How wrong was I?”
JJ had to spend 16 weeks in hospital. He missed his brother’s wedding, but
delivered his best man’s speech from his hospital bed by Skype.
“People hadn’t seen me since I was blown up,” he smiles. “I had a thimbleful
of champagne.”
Having battled back from the brink of death, the Edinburgh-born hero is going
for glory in the cycling and athletics events at the 2012 Olympic and
Paralympic Games venues.
According to JJ, Prince Harry has been “massively involved” in setting up the
Invictus Games.
JJ, a spokesman for Sun-backed charity Help For Heroes, said: “He’s turned up
at almost every selection process. He’s one of the guys.
“He’s been to Afghanistan. You can say: ‘You know what it’s like, mate’.”
He adds: “Help For Heroes is providing the coaches, the equipment, the
facilities. It’s the Great British public who raise money.
“We just went to work one day and got hurt. I could never have imagined
people would get behind us so much. I’m so grateful to them.”
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