'Just stay alive' - Former footballer's memory of crash in which he lost both legs

  • Shaun Whiter spoke to footballers at Cambridge United, as Sarah Cooper reports for ITV News Anglia.

A former footballer who lost both his legs in a hit-and-run crash is telling his story to inspire and educate young athletes.

Shaun Whiter, 35, was changing a tyre with a friend in Newmarket in 2016 when a car smashed into them.

Mr Whiter had to have both his legs amputated and now he hopes his story can help educate others about road safety.

He said he remembered lying by the side of the road after the crash thinking to himself "just stay alive, stay alive".

"It is what happened... I did have my legs and overnight I did not have my legs...

"You are waking up and coming round from a coma in Addenbrooke's [Hospital] and you had legs and your bedsheet is over you and they are there no longer," he said.

Now Mr Whiter, who had to learn to walk again, is sharing his story with young footballers at Cambridge United to warn them about the consequences of dangerous driving.

Shaun Whiter putting on his prosthetic leg. Credit: ITV News Anglia

He wants to help make the roads a safer place to be and educate young men about the dangers of drinking and driving or going on their phones behind the wheel.

He said: "For me, obviously, it was a major physical implication that happened - that I actually lost my legs, became a double amputee.

"That obviously had a mental effect on me, it had a financial [impact] to me.

"I loved playing football, I played football every day, ran around and then from that one night, I’m not allowed to kick a football ever again.”

At the time of the crash Mr Whiter was in his 20s, working as an estate agent and playing semi-professional football for Newmarket Town.

Since that day eight years ago, he has marked many milestones, including climbing mountains and running marathons on a pair of "blade" prosthetics.

Mr Whiter has run marathons and raised thousands of pounds for the East Anglian Air Ambulance. Credit: Shaun Whiter

He has also taken coaching badges in football so he can continue his passion for the sport.

He hopes speaking at the workshop will help young footballers understand the impact of his life-changing experience.Matt Himsworth, who runs the workshop, said the group had appreciated his honesty.

“To be able to see someone who’s experienced incredible adversity, but then be very positive and look at the gratitude and positive side of it - they really do respond to that.”

Saleem Akanbi said he could identify with what Shaun Whiter described. Credit: ITV News Anglia

Young footballer Saleem Akanbi said Mr Whiter's experience had struck a chord with him.

“Having suffered two major injuries myself and having operations and being immobilised and having that sense of independence taken from you, I could really resonate with what he was saying," he added.His team mate George Hoddle said: “Sometimes setbacks can be your fault, sometimes they can be other people’s fault, but I think responding to that in the right way and positively and getting yourself in a positive mindset after that set back, I think that can be really important for us to take on board.”

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