Tourist 'lucky to be alive' after Thai bike crash

A man paralysed after a motorbike crash in Thailand a year ago has said he "is lucky to be alive" but "sheds a tear every day for his old life".

Lee Francis, 55, and wife Clare came off their bike on the final day of their holiday in Krabi in the south of the country on 19 January 2024.

He said the last thing he remembers before the crash was saying to his wife "we're living the dream".

He spent 10 months in hospital and said a crash helmet saved his life, urging others to wear them.

The couple were visiting Mr Francis's daughter, Katie, and due to hand the bikes back just before the crash happened.

"It's been a great challenge," said Mr Francis, who is from Llantwit Fardre, Rhondda Cynon Taf.

"I do shed a tear most days because it's the frustration and I sometimes feel I just want my old life back.

"It's very difficult to accept and I must learn life is now in a wheelchair.

"It is a loss for me, it's like I'm grieving but I realise I'm on a journey and but I haven't come to terms with my accident yet."

Mr Francis said he was being helped by support from a psychologist at Llandough Hospital in Vale of Glamorgan.

Following the accident, Mr Francis was taken to Bangkok Phuket hospital and developed a pulmonary embolism which affected treatment of his spine, which he had fractured in three places.

He said the surgeon told him he was lucky to survive the night.

Staff spent a week battling to save Mr Francis's life but were unable to prevent him becoming paralysed from the waist down.

"I am lucky to be alive and this is the start of my new life and I think every day and every year it will get better."

The couple were both wearing crash helmets, which he said saved their lives.

"We were just 10 minutes away from coming back to our villa and I said to Clare, 'we're living the dream babes' and then 10 minutes later the accident happened, and it changed our life totally.

"In Thailand the locals don't seem to wear crash helmets on their bikes, you see lots of youngsters without helmets and with tourists a lot of the time the helmets don't fit properly or a lot of people think it looks cooler not to wear them but I know wearing one saved my life.

"It's important people realise they have to wear the right equipment and helmet fits right and they have insurance."

Lee spent 10 months in Llandough hospital and only came home in October.

He has undergone intense physiotherapy where he built up his upper body strength and spent time on standing frame to align his body, as well as undergoing hydrotherapy.

Ms Francis suffered concussion in the crash and deep abrasions on her face and body.

The couple were married in summer 2022.

"Clare hasn't missed a day, she visited me every day in hospital and has been my rock.

"She's changed her role from a wife to a carer and back again which is very difficult but she's taken it all on board and even throughout her injuries.

"But we've stuck together as a family and we will get through it together and she is an inspiration to me."

Mr Francis is one of several Welsh tourists in recent years to be killed or seriously injured in motorcycle crashes in Thailand.

Earlier this month 28-year-old, Corey Bevis from Barry died in a crash, while Adam Davies, from Dinas Cross in Pembrokeshire, fractured his skull on the island of Ko Tao on Boxing Day 2022.

Mr Francis worked as a community occupational therapist but has had to take early medical retirement.

He had spent his career specialising in helping people with disabilities live independent lives he has now organised a similar package of care to help him.

He and his wife have adapted their home and are building an extension, which is being partly paid for by money raised by the local community.

"The community have been absolutely fantastic they're helping me pay for a wet room and bed downstairs which will make things a lot easier for me.

"I am overwhelmed by the generosity of everyone who has supported me."

Last year, as part of his rehabilitation, Mr Francis visited Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire which is the birthplace of the Paralympic movement.

He has also lived with neurological condition, Tourette's syndrome.

"I've always loved sport and it's always been a healer for me in life from a very young age and I know sport will heal me mentally again and I would like to inspire other people to realise there is life after injury and that's the journey I'm now on."