A Fife veteran taking part in this year’s Invictus Games has revealed how sport helped turn his life around when an accident left him with life-changing injuries.
Michael Mellon, of Cardenden, was just 17 when he joined the RAF in 1997 following his father, sister and brother into military service.
In 2001, while playing in a RAF Rugby match, Mike fractured his tibia and fibula bones which resulted in compartment syndrome – a painful condition caused by bleeding or swelling within an enclosed bundle of muscles known as a muscle “compartment”.
Michael was subsequently downgraded in his role as a gunner which meant he was unable to deploy overseas, and relocated to his wife’s hometown to start a family after being medically discharged in 2005.
Facing the daunting prospect of transitioning to civilian life Michael suffered from depression and was unable to leave the house and, in December 2013, due to ongoing health issues, he took the difficult decision to have his leg amputated.
Things began to improve when he was reintroduced to sport, with the RAF’s leading welfare charity, the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund, supporting him with funding towards a specialised wheelchair.
“At my worst I was 20 stone and pretty much housebound,” the 37-year-old said.
“I was out of a job, my wife was now the bread winner and it started to affect our marriage. On top of everything I was really struggling with the pain from my leg injury and I lost all of my confidence.
“The specialised wheelchair made such a difference and helped me massively during my rehabilitation, I am very thankful to the Fund for their support.
“When I first had the operation, I regretted it, the pain was still unbearable. But as time went on the pain subsided and now it’s minimal. Having the operation has enabled me to get back into sport.
“Being a gunner, I was really into my fitness and so when that was taken away, it was difficult. I joined a local athletics club Pitreavie AAC and later applied for the Invictus Games.
“When I found out I had made the team I was chuffed. I feel a lot more positive about things now.”
Michael will be taking part in sitting volleyball, wheelchair basketball, discus and shotput at the Games in Toronto, which start this weekend.
Joining him in Canada will be his three children Ryan, 12, Eve, 10, and Sarah, six, along with his wife and parents.
“Meeting people who have similar stories to mine is great,” he added.
“Before I was selected for Invictus, the only other amputee I’d spoken to was my granddad, who lost his leg due to ill health.
“Now suddenly I’m speaking to other people in their 20s and 30s who have similar injuries. It feels like I’m back in the RAF again. My confidence has grown so much and I feel like I’m starting to enjoy life again.”
