I felt like I had another purpose, says ex-para whose journey to recovery appears in film
A former paratrooper who suffered a life-changing spinal injury on a parachute jump has had his journey to recovery featured in a new film.
Ben Halms, 33, features in The Mountain Within Me, a film shining a spotlight on the work of charity Millimetres 2 Mountains, which helps those dealing with intense physical injuries take on epic challenges across the world.
Mr Halms served in the Parachute Regiment for 13 years before his life was altered forever following what should have been a routine jump that ended in disaster when he fell 1,000 feet in just 12 seconds.
Speaking with BFBS Forces Radio, he said: "When I looked at the ground, I was no higher than probably a house height away from the floor, so I hit the ground pretty hard and fast.
"I suffered an L2 burst fracture, so the lower part of my spine, one of the vertebrae, compressed and just burst."
Mr Halms severed some of his nerves, immediately leaving the soldier with no sensation or movement from the waist down.
Thanks to rehab and physiotherapy the veteran eventually regained movement, but still has no feeling.
However, after a couple of years on civvy street, the veteran lost the vital motivation which had been essential to his recovery.
That's when the charity Millimetres 2 Mountains helped turn his life around.
He said: "When I left, I felt like I'd lost my identity and I had no purpose so when this opportunity came along, I felt like I had another purpose.
"I had something to aim for and I had a goal so it got me back into the mindset of training."
The main focus of film The Mountain Within Me is the charity's founder, former Rugby Union player and Paralympics presenter Ed Jackson and his team as they look to bring hope to those looking for a new purpose in life – much like Mr Jackson did after his own injury.
After an almost fatal diving accident in 2017 that left him being told by doctors he would never walk again, Mr Jackson was diagnosed as having Brown-Sequard Syndrome – a rare neurological condition that leaves people with weakness or paralysis on one side of the body.
In the film, Mr Jackson reveals what keeps him motivated to take on extreme challenges.
He said: "I wanted to rewrite the rule book of what is possible in life.
"I'm not scared of dying, I'm scared of not really living."
It was this fear that encouraged him to take on the mental and physical heights of Snowdonia, the Alps and Himalayas with other people also facing mental health struggles because of adversity, such as Army veteran Mr Halms.
Mr Jackson said: "I was trying to break a height record for someone with a spinal cord injury, but I actually saw a lot of similarities with our journeys.
"I played professional rugby my whole life and my injury took that loss of identity, loss of purpose.
"But on the trip itself, like I saw that determination, that drive.
"The psychological journey of it and learning to accept the new version of yourself and try and let go of the old version yourself is a tough one."
The Mountain Within Me is now showing in cinemas. To find your nearest venue showing the film visit here.
In addition, the documentary is now available to watch on some digital platforms.
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