A reserve sergeant who was paralysed from the chest down in a motorbike crash has said “everything happens for a reason”.
Sgt George Pas, 50, from Chard in Somerset, served in the British Army as a reservist within the 6 Rifles for more than 14 years.
His career was cut short when he broke his spine in eight places and severed his spinal cord after his motorbike collided with a car in July 2011.
“I missed my third tour of Afghanistan and a lot of people never came back from that,” he said.
“I was in a coma with pipes and tubes attached to my body and in my throat, hooked up to various pieces of equipment,” he added.
Doctors told Mr Pas’ ex-wife they were unsure if he would ever regain consciousness [Submitted/George Pas]
He said the active part of his life was “suddenly” over.
“I have since been trying desperately to learn to live a much slower and less active life, learning how to cope with the frustration of life in general,” he added.
Mr Pas in his off-road wheelchair on Juno Beach, which was one of five beaches involved in the Normandy landings [Submitted/George Pas]
Mr Pas has said he believes fate intervened to save his life.
He added: “It’s better to be living life in a wheelchair than not living, so it’s just about perspective really.”
After his injury, Mr Pas began researching off-road mobility vehicles to regain a sense of adventure and independence.
Mr Pas said he dreamed of joining the military since he was 12 years old, following in the footsteps of his father (pictured) [Submitted/George Pas]
He set his sights on the TerrainHopper Overlander, an off-road wheelchair which costs more than £20,000, and began doing challenges to fundraise.
The Army Benevolence Fund, which provides support to soldiers, veterans and their immediate families, found out about his efforts and offered to help pay for it.
“The commitment I showed over the years did not go unnoticed,” Mr Pas said.
“Had I not taken the military path, albeit as a reservist, where would I be now?”
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