Richard Hammond - On the Edge

Review by Lydia Birch July 2009
This is the first time i've read an autobiography, but i thoughly enjoyed it.
having met the top gear crew when they came over to do filming in may, and knowing about richard hammond's accident, i wanted to find out a bit more.

the book i very thought provoking and well written by both richard & his wife mindy.
it starts off taking about his childhood and love of speed and all things a bit crazy, with has carried on throughout is career.
he has worked in radio & tv and also a newspaper column.

on the day of the crash in 2006. it started just like any other day for top gear another crazy stunt.
however it was that stunt that almost killed him and changed all the families lives.
they had done lots of runs in the jet car which had all gone well and were doing one last run before filming had a wrap for the day, when 15 seconds in richard knew there was a problem and there was nothing he could do, the tyre had burst and at speeds of 314mph it couldn't be slowed down very quickly, and he was thrown about like a rag doll in the air & rolling over and over.
when the air ambulance crew arrived they were stunned to see he was alive and talking.
No one had ever survived anything as serious!

the story then flips to his wife mindy and the 2 children, and how the accident had affected them.
its a story of bravery & hope.
it shows how people with brain injures react, (and every person will react differently)
mindy was warned that if he came round and there was no guarantee.
then he may not recognise her, he might disown her as part of a life that no longer exists!
Luckily after days under sedation richard did recognise Mindy and he did remember all the things they had done together.
but over many months of nursing.

i think reading this book it makes you think more about lots of things you take for granted.
you don't really think that moving your fingers only happens because of the brain, little things that all make a difference.
also lots of people who have brain damage revert to being a child. richard went back to playing with lego building cars etc.
also the panic & fear there must be on both sides, when you cannot recognise things or remember things that have been said a few mins earlier.
it certainly made me think about things and i think if people have been though anything like this or know someone who has they will be as understanding as i was.

the nice thing that came out of it all was when he got moved from one hospital to another it was the same air ambulance crew who saved him.
without there help to get him to hospital as speedily as they did he may not have recovered as quickly.
and to show his gratitude richard hammond helped raise enough money to by another air ambulance to help others like him.

this is a very interesting book and at times quite funny as well.
well worth a read!!