An RAF veteran who was injured in the Gulf War is set to compete in the Invictus Games in the Netherlands this month with the simple aim of making his daughter proud. Nathan Huddy, 42, a former RAF Regiment Gunner originally from Cornwall but now living in Pontypridd, will compete in three events at the Hague: indoor rowing, powerlifting and the 50m freestyle swimming.
Like many of his contemporaries competing in the fifth Invictus Games, it’s not about medals – it’s a staging post on the road to recovery. Nathan seriously injured his left foot and received shrapnel wounds in 2003 when the Land Rover in which he was travelling mistakenly entered an Iraqi minefield just a few days after his deployment.
He was medevacked back to the UK and to Headley Court for rehabilitation – the first of three stints at the former Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre. “It was there I got told I was no longer fit for service. Off you trot. See you later,” he recalled. “I started suffering from depression and anger and, although I was never diagnosed with PTSD, looking back, I think I did have it, both when I left the RAF and the time just after. Yeah, from what I’ve read about it, I’m sure I had it.”
He gradually started to come to terms with his situation and was buoyed by the birth of his daughter in 2013. But, within nine months, she had endured two open-heart surgeries and was diagnosed with dwarfism and autism, which again tested his mental health and placed strains on his marriage which, ultimately, broke down.
Then in 2017 he suffered a stroke and his mental health spiralled downwards. Nathan said: “I was drinking as therapy and was just watching telly at night.
"One day, in 2018, I was flicking through the channels and came across the Sydney Invictus Games on BBC iPlayer. I like watching any sport so I clicked on it and remember saying to my partner ‘I can probably apply to do this because I was blown up in Iraq’. She encouraged me to do so and that was like a lightbulb moment. The next day was the first time I got in touch with Help for Heroes.
"Now, I’m the happiest I’ve been in years. I believe starting this journey ultimately saved my relationship and life. This programme has definitely brought me full circle. I was very bitter for many years with the Armed Forces, with my service and stuff like that, but joining the Invictus programme, and just being around other lads and lasses who’ve also been through physical injuries, mental injuries and have suffered, helped me to talk about it, which has done me good. Until then, I felt it was just me.”
After attending an initial induction day where he tried swimming, rowing, powerlifting, training camps and a strict personal gym regime, Nathan now finds himself packing for a week on the North Sea coast between April 16 and April 22, but he's under no illusion how tough it will be.
He added: “Swimming is definitely my weakest event. I’m probably rowing the ‘one-minute race’. I’m pretty good over a minute. You’ve got to pace yourself in those. I enjoy powerlifting. I love lifting weights - that’s my thing.
“I chose swimming because of my daughter. She loves swimming. Every other weekend I have we always go swimming, but don’t get me wrong, we don’t do much swimming. It’s a lot of me following her around making sure she doesn’t drown. I did ask if there’s an event where I could wear armbands.
“Everyone’s got their own reasons for doing the Invictus Games. My reason is, simply, I want to make my daughter proud. I try to read a lot of these self-help books and they always say, you need to test yourself. We’ve got to do stuff we’re not good at. So that’s one of the reasons I went with swimming. I’ve never enjoyed it. In fact, I used to hate swimming. I want to test myself a little bit. I’ve got to do it because I’m proud.”
Nathan, who now works for HM Courts and Tribunals Service, hopes his experiences will encourage other veterans to follow a similar path. He said: “I have nothing but gratitude for charities like Help for Heroes, which is doing the job the Government should be doing, to be fair.
"Charities like this demonstrate that people do care about you, that you can come out and can be around other veterans, and it all benefits you. And there are so many programmes they have to help. If all you have got to do is send an email or make a call, what are you waiting for? I did and now I’m heading to the Invictus Games. That’s nuts! Take that first step and open up a different world for yourself.”
The Team UK competitors – 91% of whom will make their Invictus Games debuts – were originally selected in October 2019 to compete in the May 2020 Invictus Games at The Hague. When the pandemic hit it was shifted to 2021, but uncertainty forced a second postponement.
The event will now take place in The Hague this month. Competitors rose to the challenge of keeping their fitness and spirits up during multiple lockdowns by altering their routines to take on virtual training online, as well as getting outdoors where restrictions allowed.
Having not seen each other in person since the start of 2020, the team, along with coaches and support staff, attended the first post-lockdown Invictus UK training camp in November, and have continued to join weekend camps provided by Help for Heroes. The charity is responsible for the selection, training, and welfare of UK competitors.
Team UK – presented by BAE Systems – will compete in nine sports: athletics, archery, wheelchair basketball, cycling, powerlifting, indoor rowing, wheelchair rugby, swimming and sitting volleyball. Help for Heroes’ Hannah Lawton, chef de mission for Team UK, said: “The journey to an Invictus Games is always massive for every single competitor as they learn to adapt to life-changing injuries and illnesses, and manage daily struggles, before even getting to the point of applying to compete.
None of us imagined that Team UK would have the added challenge of a pandemic and – by the time they get to The Hague – a delay of two years. These competitors are well-versed in taking on challenges though and I’m so proud of the commitment they’ve shown to the team, whether that’s in keeping up with training virtually, supporting their teammates or recognising when they need to step back and take a break.”
Invictus UK is delivered by a partnership comprising Help for Heroes, the Ministry of Defence and the Royal British Legion. To keep up to date with the latest Pontypridd news sign up to our local newsletter.
