Andrew Jenkins promised he would walk out of Morriston Hospital after waking from a four-week coma. Now the Traitors star has returned to thank the physiotherapist who helped him recover.
Andrew, from Llantrisant, reunited with Clare Ford more than two decades after the crash that ended his rugby ambitions and left him needing specialist treatment in Swansea.
Describing his return, he said: “It was quite surreal walking back up the hill into the hospital.”
He added: “It’s a really special place for me. It’s where my life was saved.”
Clare helped Andrew regain strength and movement in his arm after reconstructive surgery. She still remembers exactly where he was treated.
She said: “Memories of certain patients stay with you, and I remember Andrew very clearly, even down to the exact bed he was in.”
Clare also remembered his manner during the difficult recovery: “Despite everything he was going through, he was always thoughtful and polite. I’m not at all surprised he’s now helping others.”
Andrew was 21 when he was seriously injured while travelling home from a wedding in August 1999. He suffered a shattered skull and a severe arm injury.
After emergency treatment in Newport, he was transferred to Morriston, where he underwent surgery and spent weeks in intensive care.
Andrew said his family had been warned there was a strong chance he would never recognise them, walk, talk or use his arms and legs again.
He recalled: “When I woke up from the coma, I didn’t know where I was or what had happened.”
His determination to leave hospital stayed with him. He said: “One of the first things I said was that I’d walk out of hospital, and that’s exactly what I did.”
Andrew had grown up dreaming of playing rugby for Wales. Losing that future left him struggling with his identity and confidence, even as his physical recovery progressed.
He said: “The physical injuries were horrendous, but the psychological trauma was the hardest thing for me.”
Describing the years that followed, he added: “I suffered in silence for more than 20 years. I walked around with a smile on my face and put on a mask every day.”
Counselling eventually helped him come to terms with what he had lost. He now uses his experiences to support others and backs charities including Headway.
That work has brought him back to Swansea before. Last year, he joined Ospreys players at a children’s mental-health event at the Swansea.com Stadium, speaking to pupils as part of the Bouncing Back Plus celebrations.
Andrew, who appeared in the second series of The Traitors, said: “Since The Traitors, I feel very privileged to have a platform that allows me to inspire people.”
He wants others facing their own recovery to hear his story. He said: “I want people to know that you can experience trauma, live with scars, lose a dream, struggle with your mental health and still turn your life around.”
Andrew has also reunited with Professor Hamish Laing, the reconstructive plastic surgeon who operated on him after the crash. Reconnecting with those involved in his care has helped him come to terms with what happened.
Reflecting on seeing Clare again, he said: “The people who cared for me here changed my life. Coming back to thank them and seeing Clare again after all these years means a huge amount to me.”
For Clare, the reunion was a chance to see the life her former patient has built. She said: “To know he is using his experiences to help and inspire others makes everyone who cared for him incredibly proud.”
If you need someone to talk to, Samaritans is available free on 116 123, day or night.
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