'Five minutes from losing my leg - now I'm helping others with trauma'

It was early on a summer's morning in 2017 when Jake Cooper's life changed forever.

He was a passenger in a car which struck a tree and overturned on Rivelin Valley Road in Sheffield. Just 21 and a trainee electrician at the time, Cooper sustained a traumatic brain injury and was left with fractures to his spine, a broken arm, multiple blood clots, a broken left leg and ankle, and an open fracture of his right lower leg.

As he looks ahead to the 10th anniversary of the crash, which the driver also survived, Cooper has qualified as a personal trainer and now helps others recover from brain injuries.

Cooper, now 31, married his long-term girlfriend last year and works for the NHS, seeing clients around the country and helping them to regain their fitness.

"It's a unique form of personal training because most personal trainers aren't trained to work with brain injury survivors," he says.

"Traditional PT approaches often focus on pushing clients to their limits, but with brain injury survivors it's important not to overdo it.

"So, it's about building that rapport and noticing when they're fatigued or losing concentration."

Reflecting on the crash, Cooper reveals the scarring on his right leg and the visible bone bulging from his left shin. His right leg is now shorter than his left.

"I'd signed a consent form for an amputation of my right leg," he explains.

"Luckily my mum, who is a nurse, tested the nerves in my feet and realised that they were still intact and managed to challenge it - but I was five minutes away from having my leg off."

Michelle Cooper admits she is still traumatised by the events of that morning.

Now 69 and retired from nursing, she was still in her nightwear when police knocked at her door.

"It was the worst day of my life. I was so utterly shocked. The officer asked me to follow him to the hospital and I thought my life had come to a standstill."

To see her son's transformation since has been a huge relief.

"I am so unbelievably proud of him. He is so strong, overcoming multiple traumas, but using that to help others is wonderful."

Straight after the accident, Cooper was placed in an induced coma and spent an initial seven weeks in hospital, with the surgeries that followed spanning several years, including a gruelling lengthening of his tibia.

At one point, he was told that he might not walk properly again and spent 18 months in a wheelchair, as well as several years experiencing significant challenges with mobility, pain, fatigue and cognitive function.

"When I look at the photo of the crashed car, I still feel the weight of it. A part of me died that day but over time something new was born.

"I rebuilt myself from pieces I didn't even know I still had."

Cooper admits he has not spoken to the driver of the car since the crash.

"I've found it in my heart to forgive him but don't think it's wise for me to make contact."

After the accident it was clear that working electrician was no longer an option.

"I did the odd day here and there but my body couldn't take it.

"Electrical work is getting under floorboards, getting in attics, it's hard graft - by the end of the day I was absolutely knackered."

Drawing on his experience of training in the gym, Cooper volunteered with Rehabilitate Therapy, qualifying as a personal trainer at the beginning of 2025.

Since then he's used his experiences to support and inspire others.

"As well as training people in the gym, I also help clients with day-to-day tasks like planning and setting reminders, and going on walks and helping clients with their mental health."

He is now in the running for a national award as part of the brain charity Headway UK's annual awards.

Cooper was nominated for the for the Achiever of the Year award by his occupational therapist, Sara Grimshaw at Rehabilitate Therapy.

Grimshaw said: "Retraining as a personal trainer while managing pain, fatigue and cognitive difficulties is hard enough on its own, but using that qualification specifically to work with people rebuilding after brain injury, shows the inspiration isn't just in his personal comeback, it's in what he's built for others."

Cooper says being nominated for the award gave him "an immense sense of pride" to know that the work he does in helping fellow brain injury survivors has been recognised.

"I feel like it's my duty to give back what was given to me during my recovery. It's my passion to help others and encourage clients to take those little steps that add up to big steps over time."

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