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ESPN Article - Robert Wickens Confirms He Is Paralyzed From The Waist Down

Started by alexocfp , Oct 26 2018 02:47

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78 replies to this topic

#51 LiftAndCoast

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Posted 27 October 2018 - 01:09

Clarification from the man himself -

https://twitter.com/...5609447424?s=19

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#52 wonk123

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Posted 27 October 2018 - 02:34

Oh my god..

Terrible news.

Edit: I'm a little confused after reading his Instagram post. Is there a possibility he can recover?

It is highly unlikely he will fully recover, actually almost impossible. He may recover a small amount. He seems to be basing his hopes on the fact that there can be "recovery" up until 24 months, however the vast majority of spinal shock "wears off" in the first few weeks. I have seen many people that are upbeat and saying how they will recover, but it rarely happens.

For those asking about paraplegia, it is associated with a spinal cord injury in the Thorasic region. Paralysis from high chest to waiste (T1 - T12) occasionally lumbar as well. It can be complete or incomplete depending on the injury. Just because he can move a leg doesn't change the term paraplegic. Spinal cord bruising can be just as devastating as completely cutting it, as at this point there is no real way to regenerate the damage. Around a decade ago there was hope stem cell treatment may help, but that seems to have faded

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#53 Lee Nicolle

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Posted 27 October 2018 - 03:25

For what it is worth I have known motorcycle riders to ride again though walk with sticks. Conversely another chap who could walk with sticks went downhill after a decade and was semi wheelchair bound and could no longer drive a normal[automatic] car safely.

So every injury is different, some recover fully, some never walk again and many semi recover to some degree of normalcy.

Get well soon Robert.

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#54 ANF

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Posted 27 October 2018 - 09:59

Clarification from the man himself -

https://twitter.com/...5609447424?s=19

Here is the clarifying tweet with a statement in full:

https://twitter.com/...984325609447424

“I just wanted to clarify a few things. There seems to be some confusion about what the word ‘paraplegic’ really means. Please read my statement below. Thank you all for your amazing support! You’re all a big part in helping me get back on my feet!”

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#55 OvDrone

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Posted 27 October 2018 - 10:02

Things are clearer now, following his latest update. Thankful for that.

Yet my thoughts remain the same. I am hopeful for a turn around and if there's someone that can do it, it's Robert. We'll be with you each step of the way, brother. Take time to heal, you can't fail with that burning positive outlook. An inspiration.

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#56 Collombin

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Posted 27 October 2018 - 10:54

Terrible news, but it sounds like there are legitimate grounds for hope of some sort of recovery.

FWIW my avatar was a champion ski racer who was paralysed in a training crash and unable to walk for months. He went on to make a full recovery and now leads a normal life. Here's hoping for a similar outcome with Robert.

Edited by E.B., 27 October 2018 - 10:55.

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#57 Spillage

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Posted 27 October 2018 - 10:59

I hope he makes a full recovery. His postive and humorous attitude is amazing considering what he's going through.

Best of luck mate :up:

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#58 Tsarwash

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Posted 27 October 2018 - 13:48

Damn.

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#59 haryantofan666

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Posted 27 October 2018 - 14:50

Really promising news. Nerve cells, like any other cells will regenerate. The fact that he's got most feeling back and some movement already is usually the hardest step. There's many people who fully recovered from similar situations.

Also I really like his openness to share his situation. That can only benefit him in his recovery.

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#60 H0R

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Posted 27 October 2018 - 17:20

Ok, let's just forget about motor racing for a second.

Young fella, about 30, with a beautiful girlfriend. Being able to *feel* his lower parts is enormously important for their future. Because, you know, if certain parts are numb, you can not do some things in natural way. Things like these just can not overestimated.

It is sad if we lose Robert Wickens the race car driver, but I couldn't care less as long as we keep Robert Wickens leading a somewhat normal life.

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#61 MKSixer

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Posted 27 October 2018 - 17:37

I met Robert while he was still racing in the DTM for Mercedes. He is an affable young man and took us for some very memorable laps on the Hockenheimring short course. His level of car control in the wet was a thing of beauty and the way he made time seem to stop as he maneuvered around other cars was preternatural. I learned more about driving by riding with him for about 20 minutes and chatting with him, thereafter, than I have in any driving schools I've attended. He's just a good guy. I was gutted to see his crash and this news just makes it worse.

No matter how accustomed we get to the safety of motorsports relative to where it was pre-Senna, there are always these stark reminders of the actual danger these special people engage in each time they strap in.

Godspeed, Robert.

Cheers-mk

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#62 Ellios

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Posted 27 October 2018 - 21:01

There's always hope and now advanced technologies to help assist rebuilding of the neural loop of new pathways even for fully severed spinal cord injuries

There's also this electrical device being trailed in Switzerland

https://www.bbc.co.u...health-46043924

Edited by Ellios, 31 October 2018 - 19:12.

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#63 Risil

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Posted 27 October 2018 - 21:49

Let's not make this thread another discussion about contrasting safety in Indycar and F1, or indeed using Indycar as a way of having a proxy argument about F1.

Let's keep this about Wickens, his injury and prospects for recovery.

As above. There's a thread to discuss the safety on Indycar ovals here: https://forums.autos...ing-in-indycar/

Please respect the many members who want to use this thread to read about Robert Wickens' hopes for recovery.

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#64 goldenboy

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Posted 28 October 2018 - 12:41

Ok, let's just forget about motor racing for a second.
Young fella, about 30, with a beautiful girlfriend. Being able to *feel* his lower parts is enormously important for their future. Because, you know, if certain parts are numb, you can not do some things in natural way. Things like these just can not overestimated.
It is sad if we lose Robert Wickens the race car driver, but I couldn't care less as long as we keep Robert Wickens leading a somewhat normal life.

Exactly!

Bugger the motorsport career. If he can walk again that's a MASSIVE win.

So good to hear some clarification on his injuries.

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#65 cpbell

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Posted 28 October 2018 - 13:14

I missed this on Friday - what a sad turn of events.

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#66 balage06

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Posted 21 January 2021 - 21:42

Rob started a new video series, in the first episode he showcases his customised sim rig

Edited by balage06, 14 January 2022 - 19:38.

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#67 noikeee

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Posted 21 January 2021 - 21:57

Every time I think of Robert because he shows up on my social media feed or something, it just pisses me off particularly in a manner that other tragic life stories don't, for some reason I can't quite tell. He seems to be a top bloke, incredibly talented, he should've made it to F1 yet somehow didn't, should've made it to a proper title fight in Indycar yet the crash happened and he didn't, and now he's stuck putting a brave face and trying to be optimistic about everything whilst having to struggle with this disability likely for life. Life can be so cruel sometimes man.

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#68 maximilian

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Posted 21 January 2021 - 22:50

Every time I think of Robert because he shows up on my social media feed or something, it just pisses me off particularly in a manner that other tragic life stories don't, for some reason I can't quite tell. He seems to be a top bloke, incredibly talented, he should've made it to F1 yet somehow didn't, should've made it to a proper title fight in Indycar yet the crash happened and he didn't, and now he's stuck putting a brave face and trying to be optimistic about everything whilst having to struggle with this disability likely for life. Life can be so cruel sometimes man.

Couldn't have said it better. I deeply regret what happened to him, and hope never dies that he might be able to make a return to racing. Maybe even to IndyCar racing. Maybe even successful. I wish it for him! :kiss:

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#69 boomn

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Posted 22 January 2021 - 03:34

Every time I think of Robert because he shows up on my social media feed or something, it just pisses me off particularly in a manner that other tragic life stories don't, for some reason I can't quite tell. He seems to be a top bloke, incredibly talented, he should've made it to F1 yet somehow didn't, should've made it to a proper title fight in Indycar yet the crash happened and he didn't, and now he's stuck putting a brave face and trying to be optimistic about everything whilst having to struggle with this disability likely for life. Life can be so cruel sometimes man.

I hear you, and I have been really sad for Robert as well. But... I have spent some with people disabled since birth or from injury. So many of them are genuinely more optimistic and getting more out of life than I ever have been as a healthy person following the path I expected from life. Yes, they deal with hard stuff we can't imagine. But their good attitude isn't necessarily just a brave face!

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#70 Beri

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Posted 22 January 2021 - 09:30

I hear you, and I have been really sad for Robert as well. But... I have spent some with people disabled since birth or from injury. So many of them are genuinely more optimistic and getting more out of life than I ever have been as a healthy person following the path I expected from life. Yes, they deal with hard stuff we can't imagine. But their good attitude isn't necessarily just a brave face!

I can concur as having my colleague, that I work with every single day as a team of two, being paralyzed (also from the waist down) from a car accident.
Yet he is always the one who talks about what happened. He is the one laughing it away and making jokes out of it. He is the one who does more sports than anyone else in our department. He is the one who moves heaven and earth so he can take care of his little boy just so his wife can sleep in. He plans his future just like everyone else and goes on holidays with a modified camper/RV and has seen more of Europe than I probably will in my lifetime. If anything he leads a normal and healthy life. Something completely the opposite from when I first met him. When he was a true lazy and fat IT nerd. A Cartman playing World of Warcraft kinda guy (South Park reference).

To be fair, he is my inspiration to go out for a run and to lift some weights. Because if he, with his challenges, finds it the absolutely obvious thing to do on a daily basis, then why would I, without those said challenges, say: "nahhh, I don't feel like doing sports today". Also his mindset makes me humble and put my thoughts in perspective when I am on it again and being salty.

For what it is worth, and for how I can and may judge, it sounds like the way Wickens is. A lot. A true inspiration to many.

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#71 cpbell

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Posted 22 January 2021 - 11:28

I hear you, and I have been really sad for Robert as well. But... I have spent some with people disabled since birth or from injury. So many of them are genuinely more optimistic and getting more out of life than I ever have been as a healthy person following the path I expected from life. Yes, they deal with hard stuff we can't imagine. But their good attitude isn't necessarily just a brave face!

If, like me, you've been disabled all your life, it's all you've ever known, but being in Rob's position must be so much harder.