Back in June, a visibly shaken Gordon Ramsay told his social media followers that he had been in a “really bad” bike accident and that he was “lucky to be here.” At the time, he revealed he had a gruesome, dark purple bruise covering his left torso and a cracked bike helmet. And now, Ramsay is explaining exactly what happened.
Just five weeks after the accident, the 57-year-old was interviewed for the cover story of the latest issue of The Daily Telegraph. Men's HealthHe says he was hurtling down a hill when his front wheel hit a “crater-like dip.” His bike apparently spun a full 180 degrees and “tossed” him into the air.
Ramsay says that at the time, perhaps because of the initial shock, he tried to put the chain back on his bike so he could continue riding. But he soon realised that his helmet was “completely split” and his vision was blurry and there was blood everywhere. He later realised that his helmet was not the cause of his unconsciousness, but rather the cause of his death.
“I honestly thought I was going to pass out,” Ramsay told the publication. However, he managed to call his assistant Justin Mandel, who called an ambulance for him to the hospital.
Ramsay’s recovery was humbling, to say the least. He underwent daily lymph drainage massages and physical therapy to reduce significant swelling. And then there were the daily challenges.
“I couldn't even put on my socks and pants,” he explained. “Justin would dress me in the morning. I felt like a 95-year-old man. It was embarrassing to tell a 30-year-old kid to put on my 95-year-old panties.”
But the accident didn't stop him from training. Now, as he continues on his road to recovery, Ramsay has returned to swimming and even cycling.
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Ramsay also emphasised the importance of wearing a bike helmet when he had his first accident.
“To be honest, you have to wear a helmet. I don't care how short the journey is,” he said at the time. “I don't care how much these helmets cost, but they are vital… I'm lucky to be standing here. I'm in pain, I've had a tough week and somehow I'm getting through it. But I can't tell you how important it is to wear a helmet.”
Trump ended his message by wishing his followers a Happy Father's Day, adding: “But please, please, please wear a helmet, because if I didn't, I honestly wouldn't be here right now.”
He’s right. According to the Cleveland Clinic, bicycle helmets not only reduce serious head injuries by 60% and traumatic brain injuries by 53%, they also reduce the overall number of cyclists killed or seriously injured by 34%. You can probably count Ramsay among those statistics.