'˜Hit-and-run' ends Bognor man's charity challenge

Dr Nicholas (Nick) Ashill, now marketing professor at an American University in the United Arab Emirates, was speaking to his wife on Skype when he was involved in a ‘hit-and-run incident’ on August 2, according to Kieran Bullock.

Mr Bullock said: “Because of the positioning of his phone in a hands-free position in the pocket of his running backpack he was able to maintain communication with her throughout the incident.

“He relayed several pieces of information that led Ohio State Police to swiftly locate his position on the roadside. The driver of the offending vehicle did not stop at the scene. Paramedics were quick to arrive, and Nick was eventually transported by helicopter to Ohio State University Hospital, where he was identified as having suffered a broken leg and pelvis.”

The injuries sustained mean the run, which Nick started on May 14 in Los Angeles, ended just outside the city of Columbus, Ohio – only 922km from the finish line in New York.

Mr Bullock said: “In the following days he had two corrective surgeries to fix these injuries, and is now looking to begin a lengthy rehabilitation programme.

“Overall he is in excellent spirits, but in a state of disbelief and sadness that the run had to end this way, as are we all.”

He added: “Nick is looking forward to tackling his rehabilitation with the same persistence and energy that he showed during the run.”

The fund-raising for pulmonary fibrosis, a cause close to his heart as his mother died from the disease in 2015, still continues, too. See more by clicking here