Britain and Europe 英國及歐洲 : Major Phil Parker

2009年5月10日星期日

Major Phil Parker

一步一腳印　英跛行少校花兩週走完馬拉松

An injured British soldier has walked the London Marathon on crutches, has completed the course after 13 days, walking two miles each day. Major Phil Packer, of the Royal Military Police, lost the use of his legs in a rocket attack while on a patrol in Iraq. He began the race with 35,000 others on 26 April and finished the event at about 1230 on the Mall. There he was presented with a medal from his hero, rower Sir Steve Redgrave. Maj Packer hopes to raise £1m for soldiers' charity Help For Heroes by doing this challenge. At the end of the 26 mile course, Major Packer said: "It feels bitter sweet - I heard the news yesterday that four members of the armed forces were killed in Afghanistan, so I'm thinking about those families. "I would not be standing here but for the work of the doctors and nurses that have looked after me and the reason for doing this is to raise £1m for them. "It's not about me - it's about the people who are not walking with me. "It's very humbling, I'm just a soldier and I'm not used to all this." The officer, who lives in central London, was told by doctors that he would never be able to walk again, after he was injured in Basra in early 2008. He suffered damage to his ribs and chest, a bruised heart and lost the motor and sensory use of his legs. ^[1] ARMY hero Phil Packer finishes his historic fund-raising London marathon yesterday ' nearly two weeks after the rest of the field. Major Packer, 36, who lost the use of his legs in a rocket attack while serving in Iraq, completed the gruelling 26-mile course on crutches, cheered on by comrades from the Royal Military Police. Greeting him at St James's Park was Olympic rowing legend Sir Steve Redgrave, who presented him with his medal. Major Packer's determination to complete the course at two miles a day has seen him raise '630,000 for the Help For Heroes soldiers' charity. He hopes to take the total to '1million.^[2]

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