At the end of 2002. Years, Michael Watson It was said that the London Marathon was a fight too far even for him.
He was told that people hit the wall at 20 miles and would hit the wall after 100 meters. He never listened to the tips of Peter Hamlyna, a neurosurgeon who saved his life. Watson never listens to people tell him “no.”
“I told Peter that the hardest part would be the celebration of victory in the end,” Watson told me. He didn’t joke.
Watson completed London Marathon in 2003. year, he finished in six days, two hours, 27 minutes and 17 seconds, adding an iconic race to his list of incredible achievements. It is a list that includes a somehow survivor on 21. September 1991. year, when it was bent out of the mindless ring after its catastrophic revenge Chris Eubank. Survival of all those years was team effort: Watson and Hamlyn, Miracle Team.
Well, they come back together, and both walks a mile this Wednesday (16 April) to collect money and consciousness for Brain and spine foundation. Watson is now 60, impossible old age for a man with her chances all these long and lonely midnight. Hamlyn is a man in charge of fantasies; Together are a rare double act.
In 1991. Watson crashed after his world revenge with the EUbank was stopped at 12. and the last round. The weather was 10.54 hours in the White Hart Lane, but Watson’s life now worked out of normal time measures. He was in the “golden watch”, 60 minutes of hope that exists for people with the head of trauma.
Watson, who was 27 at the time, rushed into the wrong hospital, and then at 11.55 – outside the golden hour – was transferred to St Bartholomew. He was in another brutal race and was so Hamlyn, who was warned of a suitable boxer and went out from home to the hospital and his team in the operating room. His trip that night was really amazing.
Hamlyn worked twice earlier and saved boxers on his desk in that blue lit in the opera theater. He was the best man for work, but the watch was typing. Hamlyn arrived in Bart’s to find the front door surrounded by the media. The struggle was massive, front and backpages with unintentional coverage of bad blood. I was inside in the night, in the room prayed with Michael Mother and his coach, Jimmy Tibbs. Weekend was lost, a visit to the twilight life zone.
Hamlyn directed a taxi to the Victorian hospital, looking for the door, look at the hope. He stopped, went out and looked through the locked door and this story becomes strange. Very strange.
It was around 12.30am, Watson was already inside the building – Hamlyn was outside in the dark, separated from boxers. Watson told me that he truly believes he died in the back of the emergency room; He must have dealt with the closer death, with his salvation strained outside in the dark.
Hamlyn piled through the window of locked door. Maybe the sensitive movement, he stayed, and then the door opened. It was the famous lady of BART, a woman who lived like a ghost inside an ancient building and came on tea and biscuits by nurses.
She opened the door and stood as Hamlyn filled the stairs to join colleagues. It was before 1 am when Watson, quiet and still was near death on surgery. Hamlyn performed his miracle and added Watson to his record three victories from three with boxers; It’s Boxing Record that no one wants.
It was also the beginning of a long, long return. Watson is an relentless faith and struggle for survival against ridiculous chances can be experienced in their book, Michael Watson’s story: The biggest fight. Looking at him again, two decades after being written, he still inspires.
Hamlyn and Watson were close from their first meeting with that bloody night in Bart. On Wednesday, they walk again, a miracle, and you can join them.
Walk a mile with Michael on Wednesday 16. April, from 13:00 – Wellington Arch to Coans Guard Parade