**Welsh Marathon Hopeful Triumphs After Life-Changing Accident and Two-Hour Wait for Ambulance**
A Cardiff teacher who once doubted he would ever walk unaided again is preparing to take on the renowned London Marathon, after overcoming a devastating fall from a ladder at his home. Dewi Jones, 57, suffered life-altering injuries eight years ago and, in a testament to extraordinary perseverance, is now set to put his rebuilt body and courage to the ultimate test.
Dewi, who heads the secondary computing and design technology department at the Abertillery 3-16 Learning Community, was undertaking some routine painting on his house, a seemingly innocuous task that would turn into a nightmare. “I was painting the outside with a friend and had positioned the ladder on the deck at the first-floor window. It slipped, and I plunged 15 feet,” Dewi recalls. He landed with bone-shattering force on his right foot, the full impact breaking the ball at the end of his femur—essentially his hip—and leaving his shin bone exposed. His left wrist was also badly smashed.
Trapped in agony, Dewi faced an agonising wait for an ambulance. “We tried to get an ambulance for around two and a half hours. I lay on the deck, my leg broken, not knowing if I’d ever walk again,” he recounts. His friend, Mike Flemming, who was painting with him, could do little except call for help and offer reassurance while Dewi endured the pain. When the ambulance finally came, Dewi was taken to the University Hospital of Wales, facing a long, uncertain road ahead.
Multiple surgeries were needed to repair both his hip and wrist, followed by an arduous succession of fracture clinic appointments and physiotherapy sessions. “I couldn’t put any weight on my leg for six weeks,” Dewi remembers. “There were so many dark times — not knowing if I’d ever get back to normal life, or even walk unaided again.”
The recovery proved to be as mentally challenging as it was physically grueling. Dewi found himself back and forth to the hospital, awaiting further treatments and wading through slow, incremental rehabilitation. “I had to learn to walk again, taking cautious steps and relying on crutches for months. The journey back was remarkably slow and there was always uncertainty lingering,” he shares.
A lifelong runner, Dewi was determined to return to his passion. The process was both humorous and humbling: “When I started running again, I must have looked ridiculous — I still had a bad limp. But I kept at it, and gradually rebuilt strength and confidence,” he says. Not only did the physical symptoms ease, but the act of running became an essential component of his ongoing recovery.
By 2019, he was able to join a relay team and completed the Classic Quarter in Cornwall — a gruelling 44-mile endurance race along the South West Coast Path. “That kind of experience was unthinkable in the months after my accident,” Dewi reflects, “but it proved that strength and resilience can be rebuilt, step by step.” Shortly after, he participated in the Brighton Marathon, further cementing his return.
Now, looking ahead to the London Marathon, Dewi is optimistic. He’s set his sights on finishing the race in under four hours — narrowly missing that target by mere seconds before. “This time, I’m confident I can do it. But one thing’s for certain: I’ll be steering clear of ladders from now on,” he jokes light-heartedly.
Dewi’s determination is not only a personal triumph; he’s turning his marathon effort into an opportunity to give back. He has already raised over £2,000 for Barnardo’s Cymru and hopes to increase that total. “As a teacher, I see first-hand every day that every child deserves a chance, regardless of background,” Dewi explains. “Barnardo’s works tirelessly to support vulnerable children facing poverty, neglect, and mental health challenges. It’s important to support those who need it most.”
Dewi’s story stands as a remarkable example of overcoming trauma, setbacks, and adversity. For those interested, contributions to his fundraising efforts can be made online. The marathon, for Dewi, is not just about finishing times—it’s about hope, resilience, and giving back to the community that kept him moving forward.
As the city cheers on thousands this marathon weekend, Dewi Jones’s journey from the depths of pain and doubt to the starting line serves as an inspiration to many — a reminder that extraordinary things can happen, even in the wake of despair.