York student makes miracle recovery

English and Politics student Jack Martindale has returned to the University of York following his recovery from near-fatal injuries sustained in a tragic accident on January 1, 2010.

Speaking to Vision, Martindale described the months leading up to the accident as “fantastic”; enjoying his third year at university, celebrating his 21st birthday in November and feeling “high on life.”

Martindale, from Barnet, London, was walking home from a New Year’s Eve party in Palmers Green with his friends when a car, while racing another vehicle, mounted the pavement and ploughed into the group.

The accident happened around 3am, killing one of Martindale’s friends instantly, her body flung into a nearby van; another was knocked unconscious, and died a few months later in hospital after a prolonged coma. A fourth friend was injured, while Martindale himself was also knocked unconscious, and the doctors who received him at hospital did not expect him to survive.

His skull was shattered into 30 pieces, causing extensive and lasting brain damage. Leading surgeon Simon Holmes painstakingly re-assembled the fragments of bone, fitting nine titanium plates and 33 screws to fuse Martindale’s head back together in an intricate five-hour operation. Martindale then spent three months in a coma and a further nine months at the Queen Elizabeth Foundation, a neurological rehabilition centre in Surrey. Martindale explained that it was due to his young age and the “plasticine consistency” of his brain that he was able to forge new pathways, regaining much of the lost brain function. “I wish I didn’t know this from first-hand experience,” he told Vision wryly.

Martindale explains how the “Hollywood perception” of suddenly waking from a coma is inaccurate, and that in fact for a fortnight he lapsed in and out of consciousness before finally coming round.

Shamali Ali Syed, the driver of the white Honda that collided with Martindale and his friend, was sentenced to seven years imprisonment after pleading guilty to two counts of death by dangerous driving, grievous bodily harm and assault by wanton furious driving. Fellow ‘racer’ Mohammad Afzal was cleared of all dangerous driving charges but was sentenced to two years imprisonment for perverting the course of justice.

Martindale descibes Syed as an “ignoramous” and “amoral”, describing his actions on the night as “difficult to comprehend.” He recounted to Vision that one friend involved in the accident remained concious throughout the ordeal and made eye contact with Syed before he drove off.

As an innocent bystander, Martindale told Vision he felt the British legal system had let his friends and himself down through the sentencing. He described how listening to the defence barrister, whom he describes as leading a “pititable existence,” was the worst part of the case, and that hearing him “manipulate the truth” was a harrowing experience after the loss suffered by the victims and their families.

But rather than looking back, Martindale is determined to look at the situation pragmatically and concentrate on finishing his degree. He told Vision that he would “love to graduate this July with other third years” but if that proves too difficult, then he will continue to work hard to complete his course. His module marks from first and second years have been retained, so only the autumn term of his third year is being repeated.

Previously a student of ‘Cell Block C’ in old Goodricke College, he has moved into Langwith halls for this final year, living with Freshers. Many of his old friends remain in York, either studying or working, and so Martindale has been spending time rekindling friendships and making up for lost time.

Regarding the support received from the University, he told Vision that he “could not possibly overstate how impressed [he is] with how accomodating the University have been.” He describes a “mutual understanding, where I want to get my degree, and they want to support me to gain that degree.” The University have provided him with a library mentor, an English mentor, and neuro-support, and he is currently undertaking ongoing therapy at the Tuke Centre, by Green Dykes Lane.

When asked about his recent television appearances, Martindale describes getting “an ego boost” from his interview on BBC Breakfast, and how excited he was to be interviewed by presenters Bill Turnbull and Sian Williams, which was “a completely surreal experience.”

Martindale’s plans for the future include a dream of teaching, or incorporating his love of writing into a career. But he stresses that, as his recovery is ongoing, it is “way too premature to make these decisions” and he prefers “to take things one step at a time.” He expresses a passion for travel, having taught English in Malawi and visited India before the incident. A trip to Japan is now top of his destination list, a feat he hopes to ‘tick off’ in the near future – a future that, for a while, it looked like he may never see.