What happens when an athlete has a life-changing accident?

Saffron Cresswell, a talented event rider and business owner, sustained a life-altering accident at the age of 23 that left her paralyzed from the chest down. After four months in the hospital, she returned home to find her family and horses gone, forcing her to find a new pursuit. Eight months after her spinal injury, she discovered a new passion for canoeing and qualified for the World Championships.

Cresswell's accident occurred during a cross-country event at Bramham Horse Trials when she fell off her horse and broke her back at T4 level. She spent six weeks in the hospital, bedridden and bed-bound, before moving to a spinal unit in Wakefield. During this time, she kept busy with physiotherapy exercises and small weights. While she had hoped to regain feeling in her legs within weeks, she was ultimately disappointed to learn that her paralysis was permanent.

Despite her accident, Cresswell has found a new purpose in coaching, which she says has helped her cope with her new reality, though she misses the companionship of her horses.