Jamie Hamilton: 'It's another birthday as that was the day I died'
- Published
Jamie Hamilton racing at the Isle of Man TT before his accident
On 12 June 2015 Jamie Hamilton's life changed forever.
While competing at the Isle of Man TT races, the Northern Irishman crashed his Superbike at 170mph, flew into trees and ended up wrapped around a lamp post.
That left him in a critical condition with severe injuries to his arm and leg along with memory loss at the age of 24.
He spent four years with four cages on his leg and, now cage-free, still struggles with pain from the accident.
However, he would not even be here to tell the tale if it wasn't for an off-duty critical care nurse by the name of Ali Bunn who happened to be spectating where Hamilton crashed.
Bunn resituated Hamilton, who had his arm wrapped around his neck and his legs were "in all sorts of shapes", at the scene and gave him three bags of blood while waiting for the air ambulance.
"It feels like another birthday because that was the day I died, but I made it through," Hamilton told Sportsound Meets about the anniversary of his crash.
"I try to change it up but at that time of year I do something special. I climbed Slemish mountain with a cage on my leg on that date, I try to do something special or memorable every year.
"It's not something I get emotional about. If I do get emotional they are good emotions and it is something I am proud of."
Hamilton was a talented footballer and was on the radar of Leicester City and Bolton Wanderers
The dangers of road racing are well known, especially on the Isle of Man TT, where racers compete at speeds over 200mph on closed public roads which are lined with lamp posts, trees and houses.
A talented footballer growing up, Hamilton had trials at Leicester City and Bolton Wanderers before deciding he wanted to race motorcycles instead.
After success on the British circuits, he turned his attentions to road racing instead and stepped on the podium at the North West 200 and Ulster Grand Prix.
"The Isle of Man TT was probably the only track where I had never, ever been on the podium. That ate away at me so that was my goal for there," said Hamilton.
"At the end of 2011 I decided I was going road racing and I wanted to do the Isle of Man TT. On 4 December 2011 I was over in the Isle of Man learning the course.
"I had a friend who had always said to me, 'Jamie, don't go road racing, you could possibly die so you should never do it'.
"She was killed in a car crash when I was on the Isle of Man learning the course. That changed my outlook on it.
"There are people who die in car crashes every day. There are people who get up in the morning who don't think they are doing anything serious and they'll not make it home that night."
'It wasn't my time to go'
Hamilton said he knew the risks of racing but added "you never think it will happen to you".
"I knew what I was getting myself into," he explained.
"I knew the odds were massive for possible death or serious injury, but your life is laid out for you and I was chasing my dreams.
"It just wasn't my time to go. I'm not overly religious, but I believe when you are born you have a start date and an end date, and you are only sorting out the bit in between.
"The 12th June wasn't my end date and I believe there is a reason for that. I have something else to achieve with my life, I have to motivate people.
"I've a positive mental attitude and I have had the entire way through. I wasn't meant to die on the 12th of June and there's a reason for that, I just need to figure out what it is."