Latest news with #JamesBradley
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Scottish Sun
My brain FLIPPED in my skull as my head smashed against the road when a drunk driver ploughed into me then ran off
ICU doctors told James' family that he was the "most unwell patient on the whole ward" - but he now refers to the brutal smash as "one of the best things that has ever happened to me" HORROR SMASH My brain FLIPPED in my skull as my head smashed against the road when a drunk driver ploughed into me then ran off Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) JAMES Bradley was waiting for a bus when a car ploughed into him with such force that his brain flipped inside his skull. What was just a moment in the drunk-driver's life became a three-year battle to save James' through 10 gruelling surgeries. 9 James Bradley was in a coma for three weeks and had to have half his skull removed Credit: James Bradley 9 James is now writing a book to inspire others who suffer life-altering accidents Credit: James Bradley 9 He was struck down in a brutal hit-and-run in Bushey, Hertfordshire, in front of friends Credit: James Bradley James, who was visiting from Dubai at the time of the brutal hit-and-run on Bushey High Street, Hertfordshire, on Boxing Day 2021, had to completely relearn how to read, write, speak and walk in the wake of his ordeal. The high-flying project manager, now 37, tells Sun Health: 'I was just crossing the road and the guy hit me out of nowhere. I was knocked completely unconscious. 'He slung me from the right-hand side. I smacked my arm against the windscreen and smashed my head against the floor. 'I landed right in the middle of the road, and the bus nearly ran me over as well.' After stopping down the road just moments after hitting James, then 34, the driver fled the scene - leaving his innocent victim helpless on the tarmac. He says: 'My friends saw me in the middle of the road, then noticed the driver stop and get out of the car. 'He started swearing because he'd seen me on the ground. 'I believe he wiped down the steering wheel, then took his possessions and just ran off. 'There was a pub next door and he ran through the garden and jumped over the fence.' James says there were drugs and alcohol in the vehicle, and the car didn't even belong to him. I almost died after freak surgery accident AND bus crash, now I've won £65k in lottery win As James' panic-stricken pals waited for an ambulance to arrive, two heroic nurses, who were held up in the police cordon, rushed over to help. He says: 'Jodie Bannister and Mary Walsh saw me lying in the road and raced over. 'Jodie got her coat and wrapped me in it.' On the way to St. Mary's Hospital in London, James' heart stopped. Thankfully, medics were able to stabilise him in time to deliver him to intensive care. He adds: 'I went straight in to have a CT scan and then immediately into surgery. 'They had to cut open my skull to relieve the pressure on my brain. 'They said my brain flipped from one side to the other. The pressure on my brain had moved the actual brain itself.' 9 His family had to call the ICU ward via Zoom as there were coronavirus restrictions in place Credit: James Bradley 9 James and his brother Paul on holiday together before the incident Credit: James Bradley 9 James' elbow also shattered into 50 pieces Credit: James Bradley James' elbow was also shattered into 50 pieces, and he had to have sections of his leg and hip removed to help rebuild the joint. After his life-saving surgery, he was placed into a medical coma - one that doctors were unsure if he would ever wake up from. James' brother, Paul, says the family would video call the ward every day in the desperate hope for positive change. Paul, 40, says: 'Back then, we were still dealing with the ramifications of Covid, so we had to do a lot of Zoom calls. 'Every day he was in a coma, we phoned as a family and would say, 'Any change?' and they would say, 'No'. 'We did this for weeks, but it felt like months.' Miraculously, James defied the doctors' fears, and he woke up after three and a half weeks - but he's still got a long way to go. It's one of the best things that's happened to me because now I've learned the true aspect of life James Bradley James says: 'I'm still not fully there yet. 'I've only just finalised my rehabilitation three years after the accident because the injury was on the left side of my brain, which impacts your speech and language. 'I've had four surgeries on my brain and another four on my elbow. 'I still have one functional arm and two more surgeries to go, so I'm still not finished. 'I'll probably never be finished, but I'll always look to move forward.' James has also developed epilepsy and has suffered six severe seizures, one of which resulted in his head being re-stitched. His memory has also been heavily affected. Epilepsy after a brain injury EPILEPSY happens when the normal electrical activity in your brain changes. It's thought to be related to genes you inherit from your parents, or to changes in your genes, but it can be caused by brain damage. This includes a head injury, stroke or an infection. The Epilepsy Foundation says: "When there is a traumatic blow to the head, or a jarring or shaking of the brain, the impact of the brain against the rough edges on the inside of the skull can cause tearing of the coverings of the brain, tissues, and blood vessels that may cause bleeding. "The impact can also cause bruising (contusion) and swelling (edema) of the brain. "Since the brain is covered by the skull, there is only a small amount of room for it to swell. "This causes pressure inside the skull to increase, which can lead to additional widespread brain injury." Epilepsy cannot currently be cured, but treatment can often help manage it, including medication and surgery. Source: NHS, Epilepsy Foundation After a procedure to add new plates under his scalp to replace the missing half of his skull, he developed an infection. James says: 'Because I had my head open, I essentially didn't have a skull, just skin covering my brain. 'On the day that the tissue around my metal skull got infected, they had to cut muscle out of my face, just above my temple, to get into the actual infection part of my skull. 'When they do these head surgeries, you have to have half your skull taken out, and you lie in bed with the worst headaches for weeks. 'Then you come out again and have to rebuild. It was demoralising.' I was at the bottom of the barrel and felt I had nothing left in my life to live for anymore. I was completely broken. James Despite saving his life, the countless operations and the visible damage to James' face and head left him suicidal. He says: 'I was at the bottom of the barrel and felt I had nothing left in my life to live for anymore. I was completely broken. 'I didn't want to go outside. I didn't want people to see me. 'I hated the way I looked, so I didn't really want to go to the gym, but I eventually plucked up the courage to go back. 'Because I've been in hospital for so long, I've lost all my muscle. 'I've been trying to rebuild the muscle and get my life back.' 9 'I was at the bottom of the barrel, I was completely broken,' James says Credit: James Bradley 9 He had to re-learn how to walk, talk, read and write after he woke from his coma Credit: James Bradley 9 The high-flying project manager, now 37, says he 'feels sorry' for the drink-driver Credit: James Bradley Because the years after his accident were a blur of hospital visits, surgeries and rehabilitation, the severity of James' injuries didn't fully register until he returned to St Mary's Hospital for a check-up in 2022. After chatting about his time in the ICU, a doctor suggested he visit the ward where he spent weeks in a coma. When James walked through the doors and laid eyes on his personal nurse, Rebecca, she struggled to hold back tears. Paul, a personal trainer, says: 'These nurses have to be 'on it', and all they are dealing with is negativity and drama - bad, bad people who are close to death. 'Rebecca came out, almost crying, and told James, 'We never get to see the success stories, we never find out what happens when people leave here'. 'She turned around to James and told him how pleased she was to see him because he was the sickest person on the ward. 'I think that was the moment when it really hit home for James. 'I think until then, the penny hadn't dropped. In that moment, he realised he'd had a second lease of life.' 'Life is so precious' James, who once worked for Exxon Mobil, one of the biggest oil and gas companies in the world, is now writing a book. He hopes The Will To Survive will inspire others who have experienced life-changing injuries. But writing has come with its challenges. James says he often gets tired after looking at a screen for prolonged periods and sometimes the words don't flow as easily. 'I want to be able to help other people who have had similar experiences to me,' he adds. 'It will be autobiographical, but will be filled with things I've learned in my recovery.' As the car didn't belong to the person driving at the time of the incident, police were never able to charge him. For some, the injustice would be almost too much to bear. But James, who is now waiting to have more surgery on his arm and face, takes a vastly different approach and says the crash was one of the 'best things' to have happened to him. 'I feel sorry for him, really,' he says. 'I'm not saying that anyone should have to nearly die to feel this way, but honestly, it's one of the best things that's happened to me because now I've learned the true aspect of life. 'Life is so precious and it's completely opened my eyes - especially to how we should treat one another. 'I'm not angry towards him anymore, it's just one of those things you have to get over. 'He was obviously going through a time where he felt it was OK to leave me. I've not got hatred for the guy.'
The Sun
3 days ago
- The Sun
My brain FLIPPED in my skull as my head smashed against the road when a drunk driver ploughed into me then ran off
JAMES Bradley was waiting for a bus when a car ploughed into him with such force that his brain flipped inside his skull. What was just a moment in the drunk-driver's life became a three-year battle to save James' through 10 gruelling surgeries. 9 9 9 James, who was visiting from Dubai at the time of the brutal hit-and-run on Bushey High Street, Hertfordshire, on Boxing Day 2021, had to completely relearn how to read, write, speak and walk in the wake of his ordeal. The high-flying project manager, now 37, tells Sun Health: 'I was just crossing the road and the guy hit me out of nowhere. I was knocked completely unconscious. 'He slung me from the right-hand side. I smacked my arm against the windscreen and smashed my head against the floor. 'I landed right in the middle of the road, and the bus nearly ran me over as well.' After stopping down the road just moments after hitting James, then 34, the driver fled the scene - leaving his innocent victim helpless on the tarmac. He says: 'My friends saw me in the middle of the road, then noticed the driver stop and get out of the car. 'He started swearing because he'd seen me on the ground. 'I believe he wiped down the steering wheel, then took his possessions and just ran off. 'There was a pub next door and he ran through the garden and jumped over the fence.' James says there were drugs and alcohol in the vehicle, and the car didn't even belong to him. As James' panic-stricken pals waited for an ambulance to arrive, two heroic nurses, who were held up in the police cordon, rushed over to help. He says: 'Jodie Bannister and Mary Walsh saw me lying in the road and raced over. 'Jodie got her coat and wrapped me in it.' On the way to St. Mary's Hospital in London, James' heart stopped. Thankfully, medics were able to stabilise him in time to deliver him to intensive care. He adds: 'I went straight in to have a CT scan and then immediately into surgery. 'They had to cut open my skull to relieve the pressure on my brain. 'They said my brain flipped from one side to the other. The pressure on my brain had moved the actual brain itself.' 9 9 9 James' elbow was also shattered into 50 pieces, and he had to have sections of his leg and hip removed to help rebuild the joint. After his life-saving surgery, he was placed into a medical coma - one that doctors were unsure if he would ever wake up from. James' brother, Paul, says the family would video call the ward every day in the desperate hope for positive change. Paul, 40, says: 'Back then, we were still dealing with the ramifications of Covid, so we had to do a lot of Zoom calls. 'Every day he was in a coma, we phoned as a family and would say, 'Any change?' and they would say, 'No'. 'We did this for weeks, but it felt like months.' Miraculously, James defied the doctors' fears, and he woke up after three and a half weeks - but he's still got a long way to go. James says: 'I'm still not fully there yet. 'I've only just finalised my rehabilitation three years after the accident because the injury was on the left side of my brain, which impacts your speech and language. 'I've had four surgeries on my brain and another four on my elbow. 'I still have one functional arm and two more surgeries to go, so I'm still not finished. 'I'll probably never be finished, but I'll always look to move forward.' James has also developed epilepsy and has suffered six severe seizures, one of which resulted in his head being re-stitched. His memory has also been heavily affected. Epilepsy after a brain injury EPILEPSY happens when the normal electrical activity in your brain changes. It's thought to be related to genes you inherit from your parents, or to changes in your genes, but it can be caused by brain damage. This includes a head injury, stroke or an infection. The Epilepsy Foundation says: "When there is a traumatic blow to the head, or a jarring or shaking of the brain, the impact of the brain against the rough edges on the inside of the skull can cause tearing of the coverings of the brain, tissues, and blood vessels that may cause bleeding. "The impact can also cause bruising (contusion) and swelling (edema) of the brain. "Since the brain is covered by the skull, there is only a small amount of room for it to swell. "This causes pressure inside the skull to increase, which can lead to additional widespread brain injury." Epilepsy cannot currently be cured, but treatment can often help manage it, including medication and surgery. Source: NHS, Epilepsy Foundation After a procedure to add new plates under his scalp to replace the missing half of his skull, he developed an infection. James says: 'Because I had my head open, I essentially didn't have a skull, just skin covering my brain. 'On the day that the tissue around my metal skull got infected, they had to cut muscle out of my face, just above my temple, to get into the actual infection part of my skull. 'When they do these head surgeries, you have to have half your skull taken out, and you lie in bed with the worst headaches for weeks. 'Then you come out again and have to rebuild. It was demoralising.' I was at the bottom of the barrel and felt I had nothing left in my life to live for anymore. I was completely broken. James Despite saving his life, the countless operations and the visible damage to James' face and head left him suicidal. He says: 'I was at the bottom of the barrel and felt I had nothing left in my life to live for anymore. I was completely broken. 'I didn't want to go outside. I didn't want people to see me. 'I hated the way I looked, so I didn't really want to go to the gym, but I eventually plucked up the courage to go back. 'Because I've been in hospital for so long, I've lost all my muscle. 'I've been trying to rebuild the muscle and get my life back.' 9 9 9 Because the years after his accident were a blur of hospital visits, surgeries and rehabilitation, the severity of James' injuries didn't fully register until he returned to St Mary's Hospital for a check-up in 2022. After chatting about his time in the ICU, a doctor suggested he visit the ward where he spent weeks in a coma. When James walked through the doors and laid eyes on his personal nurse, Rebecca, she struggled to hold back tears. Paul, a personal trainer, says: 'These nurses have to be 'on it', and all they are dealing with is negativity and drama - bad, bad people who are close to death. 'Rebecca came out, almost crying, and told James, 'We never get to see the success stories, we never find out what happens when people leave here'. 'She turned around to James and told him how pleased she was to see him because he was the sickest person on the ward. 'I think that was the moment when it really hit home for James. 'I think until then, the penny hadn't dropped. In that moment, he realised he'd had a second lease of life.' 'Life is so precious' James, who once worked for Exxon Mobil, one of the biggest oil and gas companies in the world, is now writing a book. He hopes The Will To Survive will inspire others who have experienced life-changing injuries. But writing has come with its challenges. James says he often gets tired after looking at a screen for prolonged periods and sometimes the words don't flow as easily. 'I want to be able to help other people who have had similar experiences to me,' he adds. 'It will be autobiographical, but will be filled with things I've learned in my recovery.' As the car didn't belong to the person driving at the time of the incident, police were never able to charge him. For some, the injustice would be almost too much to bear. But James, who is now waiting to have more surgery on his arm and face, takes a vastly different approach and says the crash was one of the 'best things' to have happened to him. 'I feel sorry for him, really,' he says. 'I'm not saying that anyone should have to nearly die to feel this way, but honestly, it's one of the best things that's happened to me because now I've learned the true aspect of life. 'Life is so precious and it's completely opened my eyes - especially to how we should treat one another. 'I'm not angry towards him anymore, it's just one of those things you have to get over. 'He was obviously going through a time where he felt it was OK to leave me. I've not got hatred for the guy.'
Daily Mail
21-07-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
The Arctic is turning GREEN thanks to climate change: Shocking photos snapped in winter reveal widespread snowmelt and blooming vegetation
In winter, the Arctic should be a stunning white landscape – a pristine world of ice and falling snow spanning thousands of miles. But shocking photos reveal the new reality at the North pole, thanks to climate change. Scientists from London who travelled to Svalbard in February and early March report a 'dramatic and concerning shift in the Arctic winter'. At the Norwegian territory, they encountered exceptionally high temperatures, widespread snowmelt, and blooming vegetation. Within a few decades, huge parts of the Arctic in winter could look like the lowlands of Scotland, the experts predict. Dr James Bradley, expedition member and environmental scientist at Queen Mary University of London, calls for urgent climate action to reduce global warming. 'Standing in pools of water at the snout of the glacier, or on bare, green tundra, was shocking and surreal,' he said. 'Climate policy must catch up to the reality that the Arctic is changing much faster than expected.' Dr Bradley and a few other colleagues travelled to Svalbard, a Norwegian territory, for a fieldwork campaign in February this year. At Svalbard, which sits within the Arctic Circle, they experienced 'exceptionally' high air temperatures, among the warmest ever recorded in the Arctic. For example, in Ny-Ålesund, north-west Svalbard and about 745 miles (1,200km) from the North Pole, the air temperature average for February 2025 was -3.3°C/26°F. This is considerably higher than the 1961-2001 average in the region for this time of year of -15°C/5°F. The team witnessed widespread pooling of meltwater into 'vast temporary lakes', which they were able to walk through like gigantic puddles. Meanwhile, vegetation emerged through the melting snow and ice, displaying 'green hues' typically associated with spring and summer. 'Blooms of biological activity were widespread across the thawing tundra,' say the researchers in their paper, published in Nature Communications. 'Surface soils, which are typically frozen solid during this time of the year, thawed such that they were soft enough to be directly sampled with a spoon.' Rainfall over Svalbard triggered widespread snowmelt and pooling of meltwater, which the researchers were able to walk through like giant puddles. Pictured, a meltwater pooling above frozen ground at the snout of Midtre Lovénbreen glacier, February 26, 2025 February temperatures at Svalbard In Ny-Ålesund, north-west Svalbard, the air temperature average for February 2025 was -3.3°C/26°F, and reached a maximum of 4.7°C/40.4°F. This is much higher than the 1961-2001 average for February (-15°C/5°F). Air temperatures higher than 0°C were recorded in NyÅlesund on 14 of the 28 days of February 2025. Such sustained warmth, coupled with prolonged rainfall, triggered widespread melting of snow and ice. There was also a lack of snowfall, which instead fell as rain – indicating warmer than usual conditions. The team were used to donning thermal layers and thick gloves, but they often found themselves working bare-handed in the rain. 'The gear I packed felt like a relic from another climate,' said Dr Bradley. Human communities and infrastructure at Svalbard are threatened by winter warming like this, partly due to the possibility of avalanches. The team warn of unstable 'snowpack' – the accumulation of snow on the ground, compacted by its own weight – which increases avalanche risk. They even questioned their own safety at Svalbard, suggesting that future fieldwork might not be feasible. Svalbard, the world's northernmost permanent settlement, is at the 'front line' of the climate crisis as it is warming at six to seven times the global average rate. Human-caused global warming is particularly amplified in the Arctic, causing the climate there to warm more quickly than the rest of the Earth. The big reason for this phenomenon – known as 'Arctic amplification' – is that the relatively dark surface of the ocean absorbs more heat. And the more ice is melted at the Arctic, the more heat is absorbed. The team's findings challenge the long-held assumption that the Arctic is 'reliably frozen' in winter – and they don't think they are 'an isolated occurrence'. Winter warming events in Svalbard have been a recurring phenomenon in recent decades as a consequence of human-caused climate change 'Winter warming in the Arctic has long reached melting point and is reshaping Arctic landscapes,' they conclude. 'Although the recent thaw event of February 2025 was not an isolated occurrence, witnessing it in real time served as a reminder of the accelerating pace of change, and made us wonder if we have been too cautious with our climate warnings. 'These winter warming events are seen by many as anomalies, but this is the new Arctic.' The last 10 years have been the warmest on record, characterised by devastating and extreme weather. Now, a report warns that climate change really is spiralling out of control. Predictions by the World Health Organisation (WHO) show temperatures are expected to continue at or near record levels for the next five years. If this trend continues, there will be even more harmful heatwaves, severe rainfall and floods, intense droughts, melting ice and rising sea levels, experts say. And Earth is edging closer to the threshold considered a critical tipping point for catastrophic climate consequences, they warned.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Spread of Dark Algae Could Hasten Melt of Greenland Ice Sheet
Dark algae are spreading across the Greenland ice sheet as snow cover retreats. Their dark color causes ice to absorb more heat from the sun, accelerating melting, and according to a new study, the harsh conditions on the ice sheet will do little to slow the algae's advance. Researchers used advanced imaging to examine individual cells of Ancylonema, finding the algae can thrive in places where nutrients are scarce. 'They don't require large amounts of external nutrients to grow, which means that as the ice sheet continues to melt and expose more bare ice, these algae are well-positioned to expand their coverage,' said study coauthor James Bradley of Queen Mary University of London. In the summer of 2017, algal blooms caused the western edge of the Greenland ice sheet to shed at least 10 percent more water than it would have otherwise, an alarming figure given that Greenland is the biggest source of fresh water now fueling sea level rise. 'Understanding these algal blooms is critical for predicting future ice sheet behavior and sea level rise,' Bradley said. The new study, published in Nature Communications, suggests that as warming intensifies and snow further retreats, 'we are likely to see a self-sustaining cycle where more algae lead to more melting.'
