Mark Thomas
(Picture: Handout)A cyclist has been left with life-changing injuries after a car flew into a west London cycle path and struck him as he rode his bike.
Mark Thomas, 59 , was cycling along a dedicated route by the A40 near his home in Ealing around 7.40am on January 29, when the horror crash happened.
The driver of a black car is understood to have struck a crash barrier designed to protect the cycle lane, sending the car airborne and flying into Mr Thomas.
The dad-of-four was rushed by air ambulance to St Mary’s Hospital, where he underwent five-hour emergency surgery to save his life.
The crash left Mr Thomas with “severe, life-changing injuries”, losing the equivalent of all the blood in his body, and needing skin grafts to his legs.
“His legs and hips are fragmented and open with muscle and skin gone, his shoulder is dislocated and broken in multiple areas,” said his family immediately after the crash.
“He cannot get the accident out of his head. He was conscious throughout and just sees the car mid-air coming towards him.”
After around a week in intensive care, Mr Thomas is now on a trauma ward in a stable condition, but it is not yet known when he will be discharged.
It is not thought he will be able to return to his job as a self-employed plumber, due to the injuries he suffered.
“It’s early days and we’re all trying to be positive, but I think we have to be realistic at the same time,” his daughter, Gemma Thomas, 34, told the Standard.
“It’s unlikely he will be able to continue his job as a plumber. Definitely things are definitely going to have to alter.”
Mr Thomas is also keen cyclist, and has raised thousands of pounds for the British Heart Foundation - a cause close to his heart after he suffered a stroke and a number of heart attacks.
But his daughter says it is “unlikely” he will be able to continue cycling due to his hip and leg injuries.
“I think it is impacted him a lot, the mental sort of worry of how things are going to change,” she said. “His passion is cycling and he’s got a grandchild as well, so I think it’s going to be a long journey.”
Mr Thomas’ family has now launched a fundraiser to help adapt his house to his needs once he is discharged from hospital.
Mr Thomas’ wife, Andrea, said: “What happened to Mark is life-changing and devastating for the whole family. Mark is doing the very best he can, but it is unlikely he’ll be able to return to his job as a plumbing and gas engineer and will have to rethink his future because of the severe injuries to his leg and shoulder.
“He’s fighter, though, and extremely strong-willed so I know he’ll be determined to recover as best he can.
“We’re so grateful to the emergency services and the hospital who saved his life – and his leg,” she added. “We’ve been raising funds for the air ambulance for many years and they came to his rescue.”
Scotland Yard says it is investigating the crash but no arrests have been made.
A spokesperson said: “The male driver of the car stopped at the scene and his actions will form part of the ongoing police investigation.
“No arrests at this time; enquiries into the circumstances continue.”
Jill Greenfield, head of the serious team at solicitors Fieldfisher, said she is in contact with the insurers of the driver who hit Mr Thomas.
“We’re working together to get Mark the rehabilitation he needs to prepare for the future,” she said.
