Hayling Island man told he would never walk again completes Superhero Triathlon dressed as Thor

A man who was once told he would never walk or talk again has been handed a golden cape after completing his fifth triathlon.

Andy Read, 34, took on the Superhero Triathlon challenge dressed as Marvel hero Thor at Dorney Lake, Windsor, alongside his father and two brothers. His remarkable efforts were recognised with a special golden cape, presented by TV star Clare Balding.

Andy, from Hayling Island, was just 21 when he was involved in a crash which left him with a catastrophic brain injury, a fractured pelvis and multiple facial and skull fractures.

Doctors feared his quality of life would be very poor, and his family were even told he might only have 48 hours to live. But, against the odds, Andy has continued to make progress.

He can now walk with a frame, eat and drink independently and communicate using text-to-speech software on an iPad. He was all smiles as he crossed the finish line at the Superhero Tri, alongside the people who have supported him throughout his recovery.

His physiotherapist Jenny Hatfield, from Hobbs Rehabilitation, completed the swimming leg before Andy and his father Kevin tackled the 20km cycle. His brothers, James and Matthew, then completed the 5km run, dressed as Hulk and Wolverine respectively.

Andy said: “I’m still over the moon. Being awarded the golden cape was fantastic. It made me realise all my efforts and hard work have been recognised, and I feel so good about myself.

“I had an amazing support team by my side and I would like to thank them, especially Jenny, my two brothers and my amazing dad. They have given me a wonderful feeling because they have made a huge difference to my life.

“Now I’ve taken part in the Superhero Tri for the last five years and I have to say it gets better every year - it really is an outstanding event. To cross the finishing line with my brothers was amazing and it’s a feeling I will never forget as everyone cheered us on.

“My message to other people is that nothing is impossible, as the Superhero Triathlon showed and I can’t wait to take part in my sixth one.”

Dad Kevin said: “I could not be prouder of Andy because of the way he has dug deep and shown a tremendous amount of grit and determination to get better. He’s stuck to his personal ‘never give up, never back down’ motto and he’s put his heart and soul into every challenge he’s faced.

“As everyone saw in the Superhero Tri, he’s full of life, full of joy and always willing to give it his all and you can’t ask for more."

After cheering Andy across the triathlon finishing line, Shannon McCullough, Enable Law's Court of Protection Operations Lead, added: “Andy is a truly extraordinary individual whose courage, determination and resilience inspires everyone fortunate enough to know him. At Enable Law, we are immensely proud to call him our client and to witness his incredible journey.

“Over the years, Andy has overcome challenges many would consider insurmountable, proving time and again that the human spirit is capable of remarkable things.”

Enable Law is a corporate friend of the Superhero Series, alongside brands such as Virgin Atlantic, AIG, Goldman Sachs and Oracle.