Oarsome: Injured Afghan hero Ben Parkinson’s 250-mile kayak triumph

EXCLUSIVE: Grit of Britain’s most badly injured surviving soldier.

Inspiring ... Ben completed eight-day expedition

BRAVE Para Ben Parkinson has completed his toughest challenge yet  kayaking 250 miles up the Yukon River. Britain’s most badly-injured surviving soldier dodged grizzly bears and wolves while tackling raging rapids in Canada.


He earned the nickname the Wilderness Warrior for the incredible eight-day expedition his first with no wheelchair to rely on. Ben, 31, lost his legs, suffered brain injuries plus a broken back, hip and ribs, when his vehicle hit a mine in Afghanistan in 2006. Doctors brought him home to die, then, when he woke from a three-month coma, claimed he would never walk or talk.

Ben defied them, and now raises cash for military charities, including Pilgrim Bandits, who set up the kayak trip. He said: “This was the hardest challenge yet. The one I needed to be fittest for.”

The Doncaster hero was in agony from his back but tells a BBC film crew: “Pain is merely weakness leaving the body. In this case it’s wriggling around staying there, laughing at me.”

Starting nine years to the day that he was blown up  he calls it “Survival Day”  Ben’s group paddled from Carmacks to Dawson City. Bandits’ founder Mike Witt, who also took part, said: “When we first met Ben he was in an electric wheelchair, he could hardly talk, but he’s a special guy.”

Ben’s stepdad Andy said: “He’s a Para. Failure is not an option.” Ben added: “You can let (what’s happened) ruin your life or crack on. Don’t let anyone tell you what you can or can’t do.”