Major Phil Packer
His life changed in an instant when a rocket attack left him paralysed from the waist down. Yet, through sheer determination, Major Phil Packer has raised more than £1m in aid of injured comrades.
In February 2008, Phil was serving in Iraq with the Royal Military Police when his base came under fire and his vehicle rolled over him, causing severe spinal cord damage, bruising to the heart and broken ribs. During his convalescence, Phil, 37, who is from London, met elite wheelchair athlete Paula Craig. She inspired him to apply for the following year's London Marathon.
At first, he intended to compete in a wheelchair. But, as the months passed, he regained slight mobility and managed to walk a few steps on crutches. So he decided to attempt the race on foot. However, as he could only walk two miles a day, it would take 13 days to complete the 26.2-mile course. Meanwhile, as Phil trained, the self-confessed adrenalin junkie set himself a mammoth task of raising £1m for Help For Heroes, a charity for injured servicemen and women. To do this, he rowed the Channel, skydived with the Red Devils Freefall Parachute Display Team and waterskied.
Finally, his greatest challenge arrived. Among thousands of other London Marathon competitors, he crossed the Greenwich start line on the morning of Sunday April 26, cheered by spectators. However, unlike everyone else, he was back on the course the following day. At first, the roads were quiet but, as media coverage grew, the crowds swelled and donations rose to more than £45,000 a day. In fact, in those two weeks, Phil raised over £700,000.
On his final day, hundreds of supporters cheered him over the finish line and Olympic hero Sir Steve Redgrave presented him with his medal. "When I turned the corner to the final stretch and saw all these faces, I had to take a moment," Phil admits. "Everyone from soldiers to firemen to Chelsea pensioners were urging me on. It was so emotional." He finally smashed his £1m target in June when he climbed a gruelling 1,800ft peak in California's Yosemite National Park. Pulling himself up the cliff face was the equivalent of doing 4,250 pull-ups in three days.
His sponsorship funds have since reached £1.2m. Emma Parry, founder of Help For Heroes, says, "The money will go towards vital recovery centres, equipment and treatment." Phil is now setting up The British Inspiration Trust for young people with disabilities. "No matter how difficult things are, I'm mindful how lucky I am to be here," he says. "I'm determined to make a positive difference for others."