Ed Jackson | Millimetres to Mountains

Giving The Game Away

Ed Jackson had a ten-year career in rugby. A proud Bath lad, and someone who had grown up watching Bath at the Rec, Ed’s dreams came true when he was signed by the club in 2007 at 18 years old.

Surprisingly, it was a day off the rugby field though that would bring Ed’s rugby career to an end. On 6th April 2017, at a family party, Ed chose to jump into a pool and unfortunately the depth was much shallower than expected. Ed was rushed to hospital immediately – along the way having to be resuscitated three times – when in the Spinal Cord Injury unit at Southmead Hospital he received the devastating news that he would never walk again. However, as we write this message, Ed is getting ready to walk Mont Blanc – one of the numerous mountains he climbed in the last 4 years.

He is the living example that in life we cannot change certain things that happen to us. What we can control, however, is how we perceive these events, and therefore our responses to certain setbacks. Since jumping in the pool, Ed has defied the odds to walk again, has climbed mountains in Nepal, has been recruited to commentate on the Paralympics in Tokyo and – as of yesterday – has become a Sunday Times best-selling writer. These are all feats that– to Ed’s own admission – he wouldn’t have done when still a rugby player. However, Ed’s ability to find purpose in his life and to practice daily self-improvement, gratitude and perspective has allowed him to achieve. Often in life it’s the post-traumatic growth we need to become who we always had the potential to be, and Ed is testament to that.

Ed has also co-founded Millimetres to Mountains, a platform that helps individuals redefine their limitations and take steps towards a brighter future. Alongside this, Ed has recently released his book, entitled “Lucky: From Tragedy to Triumph one step at a time.” The book, which is available on Amazon, is an incredibly personal account of Ed’s journey and the mental and physical challenges he overcame to get to the point he’s at today. The strength of the story has been confirmed by reaching Sunday Times best-seller status recently – another incredible achievement by an amazing bloke.