Following a harrowing 5,000ft fall during a paragliding accident, Jonny Fox, a paragliding instructor from Brighton, found solace and healing through his newfound passion for landscape painting. Describing his artwork as a “love letter to being alive,” Jonny opened an exhibition titled Back Story at The Crypt Gallery in Seaford. This exhibition showcases his determination to stand long enough to create stunning oil paintings that played a vital role in his recovery process.
The accident occurred while Jonny was competing in the British Paragliding Championships in September 2023. He detailed the intense experience of crashing to the foothills of the Pyrenees mountains in northern Spain, where he laid injured on the forest floor. Despite the challenging circumstances, Jonny found comfort in the embrace of nature and the community of pilots who were tirelessly searching for him.
After being airlifted to a hospital in Spain by the country’s mountain rescue team, Jonny underwent surgeries to address his injuries, including a lower spine fracture and bone fragment in his spinal canal. Throughout his hospital stay, he found solace in music, particularly albums like Elbow’s Live at Jodrell Bank, which helped him navigate the trauma of the accident and subsequent procedures.
Returning to the UK, Jonny faced a lengthy wait for NHS physiotherapy but received unwavering support from friends, colleagues, and the paragliding community. With the assistance of dedicated physiotherapists and various therapies like craniosacral therapy, yoga, and acupuncture, he made significant strides in his recovery journey. Additionally, landscape painting, introduced to him by artist Tony Parsons, provided Jonny with a renewed sense of purpose as he embraced the beauty of capturing landscapes on canvas.
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