Bognor-born man runs coast to coast in America despite being hit by a pick up truck

Nick Ashill first embarked on the epic 5,400km journey back in 2017. The trip would have taken him all the way from Los Angeles to New YorkI in an epic quest to raise funds for the Pulmonary Fibrosis Trust. But, less than 1,000 km from the finish line, some ways out of Columbus Ohio, he was hit by a pick up truck in a hit and run incident that almost killed him.

"The driver didn’t stop, so I was left for dead in a ditch, but thankfully I was flown to Ohio State university and spent the next four months learning to walk again,” Nick said.

It took the marketing professor, who works at Wellington University in New Zealand, 16 surgeries and hundreds of hours of physiotherapy to get back on his feet and hundreds more to start running – something doctors said he might never do again.

"I was told I’d walk again, but only for short distances, and that I might never run again. But those were the words I needed to hear. ‘Probably’ doesn’t mean definitely. It was like they were setting me a challenge, which I happily accepted.

“At the same time, I thought about this person who hit me. I had the burning desire to just prove that person wrong.”

Eventually, five years after the initial accident, Nick felt ready to return to the challenge. Most people would be scared to return to the site of so much physical trauma, but Nick was determined to finish what he started – so much so that he picked up right where he left off.

"It was crazy, yes. But also pretty magical, knowing I’d been given a chance to potentially complete something I'd started all those years ago,” he said.

On June 19, having covered more than 900km over 21 days, Nick finally did it – dipping his toes into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Coney Island in what he called a ‘really really special moment.’

"There were mixed emotions,” he added. “But having closure after all that time was really really important to me.”

While running, Nick raised more than £10,000 for the Pulmonary Fibrosis Trust, raising awareness of the illness which claimed his mother’s life as he did so.

Peter Bryce, a trustee for the trust praised Nick’s resilient spirit and iron will: “This is an incredible achievement considering the trauma Nick went through. This has been an inspiration for all those who are affected by PF.Nick has shown all not to give up and continue fighting, an example I use to all patients who are struggling to come to terms with their disease. Nick felt he had let people down! What an incredible man, who has endured an awful lot of pain in order to help others,” he said.

To find out more about Nick’s trip and donate, visit Nickrunsamerica.org.nz

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