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When I reached an appropriate age, I began attending concerts because I have always had a passion for music. Interestingly, the day before my injury in 2005, I had attended an Oasis concert and injured my ankle. At 17 years old, I was on a family vacation in Spain and by the time we arrived at the hotel at 10pm, my foot was visibly swollen.
I had a conversation with a group of individuals my age and we decided to visit a nightclub. Afterwards, we relaxed by a swimming pool where someone suggested going skinny dipping. Excitedly, I stood up and removed my clothing, but due to the darkness, I misjudged the pool’s size. As I dove in, I hit my head on the shallow end and immediately injured my spinal cord. It felt like all the air was being released from a balloon. I lost movement in my arms and everything went blank.
After being rescued from drowning by strangers, I was left with a C5 incomplete quadriplegia condition. This means I have no sensation or control in my body from the chest down. For nine months, I stayed at the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dublin, where I accepted this as my new reality and pushed myself to move forward.
Growing up, I experienced both walking and using a wheelchair, giving me two different perspectives on life. Fortunately, my family is incredibly supportive and my friends are always willing to help me navigate stairs. However, the accessibility of bars and nightclubs is severely lacking.
I attend numerous concerts in my wheelchair – I enjoy singing along and engaging with others. When I was younger, I was part of a choir, but now I mostly do karaoke – my rendition of Coldplay’s A Sky Full of Stars is pretty impressive. Coldplay is one of my top bands. In 2017, after my aunt passed away, my family purchased tickets for their show at Croke Park in Dublin that July. We thought it would be a special way to honor her together.
Towards the conclusion of the performance, Coldplay distributed sizable, elastic spheres among the audience. As they attempted to catch one, two strong gentlemen accidentally stumbled over me. They quickly expressed their apologies and helped me up, lifting me and my wheelchair above the crowd to provide me with an enhanced view of the stage.
As they began advancing, a spotlight suddenly shone on me, causing the crowd to part like the Red Sea. I triumphantly raised my arm in the air, something I wouldn’t have been able to do just eighteen months prior. Thanks to a tendon transfer, I was able to regain some of the muscle I had lost in my arm. In fact, I was the first person in Ireland to undergo this operation. My newfound strength and passion for fitness led me to become a personal trainer, where I now help others with similar injuries as my own. My goal is to break stereotypes and prove that individuals in wheelchairs are just as capable, if not more, than those who are able-bodied.
After a brief time, we found ourselves near the smaller stage among the crowd. The security personnel were yelling for me to lower myself. But Chris Martin, on the other hand, encouraged me to come up. He kindly assisted in lifting me over the barrier.
Chris posed a few inquiries to me while on stage – my identity, my occupation, and my hometown. Afterwards, he handed me a microphone and a harmonica, even though I am not skilled in playing it. He instructed me to blow into the instrument when he looked down. He spontaneously composed a tune about me, mentioning that I am from Dublin and work as a personal trainer. It was brief yet delightful.
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After singing a few lines, I played the harmonica. The couple of drinks I had beforehand boosted my confidence. In that moment, my adrenaline was pumping. It felt like gazing at a starry sky, not realizing that there were 80,000 people watching me.
Chris hurried back to the main stage, but before leaving, he handed me the harmonica. Later on, when I opened it, I discovered there was €50 inside. As I made my way up O’Connell Street towards town, I played the harmonica and enjoyed the lively atmosphere. People were having fun and even asked if I was the guy who had crowdsurfed during the show.
My story made headlines around the world – even my friend in New Zealand saw me on the news there. I have acquaintances who have been performing for decades, and they are amazed that I had the opportunity to play in front of a larger audience than they have in their entire career.
Despite the absence of crowdsurfing, the concert was still one of the most memorable I have attended. Coldplay will be returning to Dublin for four consecutive nights next summer, but unfortunately, I was unable to secure a ticket this time around.
As stated by Andy McGrath
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Source: theguardian.com
