Veterans hail Invictus Games in recovery journeys

Military veterans and current service personnel from the West Midlands have told of how the Invictus Games 2025, which gets under way on Saturday in Canada, have been key in many cases to their recovery.

"They're my little family."

Zoe Thomas, from Studley, Warwickshire, was a police officer with the RAF before she was injured during her service.

"I actually have a connective tissue disorder then I ended up with long Covid," she said.

Before she was selected for Team UK for the Invictus Games, she admitted she was not in a good place.

"After two years of not being able to work and being asleep all the time, it was time to pick my life up," Ms Thomas said.

An advert for the games got her attention and she said she wanted to take a chance on herself and turn her life around.

"I didn't think I'd get in but if you don't try you don't get," she said.

"The team has come together, we're making some amazing friendships."

Ms Thomas is not alone in citing the event as playing a role in her recovery.

The games were founded in 2014 by the Duke of Sussex, for wounded, injured and sick military service personnel.

Scott Robertson said the games and the Royal British Legion played a huge role in him coming back what he said was a long battle dating back to 2014 with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

"I soldiered on for five years before I was medically discharged," the former Army soldier said.

A friend encouraged him to apply for the games and in 2025 he will take part in several events including sitting volleyball and indoor rowing.

"It's not just the games but the Royal British Legion have looked after us leading up to the build up of the games, looking after our mental and physical health," he said.

"It's done so much for my recovery."

Visually-impaired Army veteran, Mark Abel is returning to the games after the loss of his son, taking part in skiing, swimming and skeleton.

"Having a second opportunity to go back and represent the UK is the icing on the cake for me," he said.

He fell out of love with sport after his 14-year-old son, Sam, took his own life a year after Mr Abel first competed in the games, when his son cheered him on.

"Losing Sam was probably the worst time in my life, it destroyed the family," he admitted

The former Army corporal from Worcester said he kept fit after losing his child.

Following his selection, he said he trained a lot harder and was now looking forward to "doing the nation proud".

For RAF doctor Samantha May, from Birmingham, taking part in wheelchair basketball was an opportunity for her to continue her athletic career after it was cut short.

"Unfortunately in a services competition I dislocated my knee and tore all the ligaments, cartilage and ended up with a pretty nasty injury," she said.

Undergoing chronic pain and several surgeries since her accident, Ms May said she thought the Invictus Games would be a positive stage in her recovery - mentally as well as physically.

"Everyone sees the physical side bit but mentally is the hardest bit to recovery," she said.

"I went from being an athlete, a doctor and officer to in five minutes my identity being destroyed."

Mental health was a key issue for Rob Shenton, from Biddulph Moor, Staffordshire, who had a 25-year career in the Army.

But when he was discharged after he broke his neck and back in 2020, he said it had a negative effect on him.

However, being selected to compete in Nordic swimming and indoor rowing gave him the chance, he said, to learn better "coping mechanisms".

"Whether I win a medal or not, doesn't really matter, because I've won as soon as I'm on the start line," Mr Shenton said.

"I've got United Kingdom on the back and I'm representing my country again."

Mountain biking is one of Rick Francis's favourite hobbies but after suffering an injury during a race, he said it wrote him off.

"The injury left me out of sports for probably three to four years and it really took a toll on me mentally," he said..

The RAF technician from Albrighton, Shropshire, has advanced osteoarthritis.

He was another to credit his selection, in his case for wheelchair basketball, swimming and skiing, in aiding his recovery.

"The opportunity to do this is really helped me rediscover myself," he said.

"It's been an ambition for the past 10 years to go to Canada so being able to go there as part of our recovery journey is amazing.

"Being part of the games is me giving myself the chance to do things for myself again."

The 2025 Invictus Games will run from until 16 February.

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