A trainee doctor on This Morning has described the terrifying moment she was crushed when a suicidal man jumped from the third floor of a shopping centre, landing on her and leaving her paralysed.
Grace Spence Green was 22 and had just finished her first placement as a fourth-year medical student when, in October 2018, she visited Westfield Shopping Centre in Stratford with a friend.
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She said on today’s (06.11.19) episode: “I remember saying goodbye to my friend at the escalators on the ground floor of the main atrium. It felt like I walked just a couple of steps before I woke up, and I remember looking up at the ceiling and it was really white and bright.
“And I remember thinking it was really strange that I’d woken up, because I hadn’t been asleep. There were police officers around me, there were people holding my head, there were security guards.
“And then I remember feeling like I couldn’t feel my legs, and I remember screaming then [in] panic.”
Grace had been unconscious for around seven minutes. When she woke up, she wasn’t aware what had happened, but was able to figure it out from the fact someone lying on the ground next to her. She could hear people telling them he had “fallen from a height”.
Grace was rushed to The Royal London Hospital for eight hours of spinal surgery but, a month later, doctors revealed the true extent of her injuries – and told her she wouldn’t be able to walk again.
Letting go of any anger was so freeing. Being angry doesn’t get you anywhere.
“It was the worst day of my life,” she explained. “It was the worst weather of the year, it was pouring with rain, it was really grey. I remember going outside with my family and just crying.”
The jumper was eventually jailed for four years after admitting grievous bodily harm.
Grace went on to describe how important it was for her to let go of her anger.
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She said: “Letting go of any anger was so freeing. Being angry doesn’t get you anywhere.
“I think, when I was in hospital I wanted him to go to jail, to have some sort of consequence for his actions. But no, not any more. I really don’t [want him in prison].”
Co-hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby asked Grace what the future holds and she replied: “It’s looking really exciting. I’m really excited to graduate. I’m loving being back in fourth year.”
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