A man who fractured his neck in a skiing accident and later suffered a serious knee injury is preparing to run the Shoreditch Half Marathon.
Jack McCooke, from Angel, north London, was on holiday in Val d'Isère, France, on 11 April 2024 when he went "flying" over a snow lip and landed "badly" on his neck. He did not discover the neck fracture until 13 April, two days later, when he sneezed and passed out, feeling a shooting pain.
Doctors at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital confirmed he had fractured a vertebra in his neck. Five months later, in September 2024, Mr McCooke fell down stairs and ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), a serious knee injury that required reconstructive surgery in February 2025.
After a two-year recovery period, which included learning to walk again, Mr McCooke is now combining regular running with ongoing strength work and physiotherapy. He is preparing for the Shoreditch Half Marathon on 20 September, and hopes his experience will encourage others facing long recoveries.