When Chris Deeny left a friend’s party back in November 2014 he had no idea that his walk home would change his life forever. The father of one from Moreton, Wirral was last seen leaving the party at 4am and wasn’t found until the next morning by a dog walker, who found him unconscious and lifeless. Rushed to Arrowe Park hospital, doctors diagnosed the MOT tester with a life threatening Sub-Dural haematoma and put him in an induced coma for the next 24 hours. 18 months on from his severe brain injury however, Chris has made a full recovery and is back at BMF classes, crediting the classes for aiding his recovery and allowing him to run his first marathon since the injury in June 2015.

Chris, 35, commented: “I was in an induced coma for 24 hours after the accident and when I woke up I had no memory of what happened to me in those lost hours. My brain injury was very severe and I stayed in hospital for three weeks after waking up.

“Before the injury, I was very active and into fitness, attending British Military Fitness sessions in Birkenhead Park three times a week and running marathons. However, after the accident, I was advised not to exercise until I saw my consultant in March 2015. It was hard to be out of action, but even though I wasn’t allowed to train I still put my trainers on and went along to BMF to support my friends during the dark, winter sessions. The support I received from all the members and instructors during my stay in hospital and my subsequent recovery was fantastic and I thought it only right I kept going along to support them in the same way!”

In March 2015, Chris was given the green light to start exercising again and immediately returned to BMF sessions. Just seven months after leaving hospital, he ran the Liverpool Rock’n’Roll marathon and managed a time of 4 hours 16 minutes, as well as taking part in the gruelling six-race Tour of Merseyside a month after in July.

He continued: “As soon as I was told I could train again, I was back at BMF as often as I could! Before the injury I wore a green bib (the hardest ability level of BMF) but went back to a blue when I returned (the easiest). I’m now a red (intermediate level) but hoping to work my way back up to green one day. The support from everyone at the classes, and of course the friendly competition, was key to my recovery and being able to return to exercise. I don’t think I would have been able to go back to running marathons last year without it – you just don’t get the same kind of support and teamwork at any other fitness classes.”

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