A FORMER Dragons rugby player has launched his own podcast four years after being told he would never walk again.

In April 2017, during a weekend off from playing for the Dragons, Ed Jackson dived into a shallow swimming pool and suffered extensive spinal injuries.

He dislocated his C6/C7 vertebrae and exploded a disc, which caused the shards to slice through the left hand-side of his spinal cord.

This removed 8mm of spinal cord, leaving him with a mere 4mm. In addition to this, he had to be resuscitated three times in the ambulance after the accident occurred.

During the following months, he endured extensive surgeries and rehabilitation.

Within a year, he went from flickers of movement in his toes to pushing his body to its limit, scaling mountains.

Today, he is an adventurer, charity founder, broadcaster, speaker, author, brand ambassador and mentor, driven by a desire to encourage others to never let adversity stop them from achieving their goals.

Mr Jackson’s sheer grit and ruthless defiance meant he was able to discover a new purpose after his 10-year rugby career abruptly ended.

Wanting to also pay homage to the astonishing recovery he’d achieved, he developed a passion to help and motivate others in similar situations. Co-founding Millimetres 2 Mountains alongside his wife Lois Jackson and former England Rugby international player Olly Barkley, their mission was to create positive change for people attempting to overcome mental health challenges.

 

Through exploration and adventure, they inspire individuals to redefine their own limitations to seek a brighter future.

READ MORE:

Having had a profound impact on countless people, the former number 8 has managed to raise over £200,000 since his accident for a number of charities including Millimetres 2 Mountains, Restart Rugby, Wings for Life, Neverest Orthopaedics and the NHS.

2021 has seen him launch his debut podcast, It’s Good to Walk.

Aiming to bolster his quest to change people’s perspectives, his conversations with fellow inspirational people stress the importance of communication while championing honesty and vulnerability. Each chat also uncovers some practical advice and wisdom for the podcast’s loyal listeners.

He said: ‘Sometimes in life we are faced with hurdles which seem too high to even contemplate getting over. It’s times like these we look outside of ourselves to find inspiration.

"I believe my purpose in life is to assist others in realising that they are tough, they can achieve – and no hurdle is too high.

"As a recovering quadriplegic, I am a living example that no matter how impossible it seems, you can move forward into a brighter future. I’m so excited to see what can be achieved as people realise that they can, and should dream big."