I had the opportunity to crowd surf to the stage during a Coldplay concert while in my wheelchair. I even got to join Chris Martin in playing the harmonica.

A

Once I reached an appropriate age, I began attending concerts as I have always had a passion for music. Interestingly, the evening before my injury in 2005, I had attended an Oasis concert and ended up spraining my ankle. At the time, I was 17 years old and on a family vacation in Spain. When we arrived at our hotel at 10pm, my foot was visibly swollen.

I engaged in conversation with a group of individuals my age and we later headed to a nightclub. Afterwards, we decided to relax by a pool and one person suggested skinny dipping. I eagerly removed my clothes, but due to the darkness, I was unable to gauge the size of the pool. As a result, I dove into the shallow end, hitting my head and injuring my spinal cord. It felt as if all the air had been let out of a balloon and I lost movement in my arms while everything went white.

I was rescued from drowning by the individuals I had recently met, but as a result, I am now classified as a C5 incomplete quadriplegic. This means that I have lost all sensation and ability to move from my chest down. After spending nine months at the National Rehabilitation hospital in Dublin, I made the decision to accept my new reality and move forward, knowing that it would not change.

Growing up, I experienced both walking and using a wheelchair. This has given me a unique perspective on life. I am grateful for my family’s unwavering support and my friends’ willingness to assist me with stairs. However, I am disappointed by the lack of accessibility in bars and nightclubs.

I attend numerous concerts in my wheelchair and enjoy singing along and engaging with others. As a child, I was part of a choir, but now I mostly stick to karaoke. I particularly excel at singing Coldplay’s A Sky Full of Stars, as they are one of my favorite bands. In 2017, my family and I received tickets to their concert at Dublin’s Croke Park in July as a way to remember my late aunt together.

Towards the conclusion of the performance, Coldplay distributed sizable, springy spheres among the audience. In the midst of the chaos, two strong individuals stumbled over me while attempting to snag one of the bouncing balls. They expressed remorse and lifted me up, raising me above the crowd in my wheelchair to enhance my view of the stage.

As they began to advance, a beam of light unexpectedly shone on me. The audience parted ways, much like the Red Sea. I triumphantly raised my arm in the air. A year and a half prior, this would not have been possible as I had undergone a tendon transfer surgery to regain some muscle in my arm. I was the pioneer of this operation in Ireland. My passion for fitness led me to become a personal trainer, dedicated to helping others with similar injuries as mine. My goal is to demonstrate that individuals in wheelchairs are capable of achieving just as much, if not more, than those without disabilities.

Soon after, we found ourselves near the smaller platform surrounded by the audience. The security personnel were shouting for me to lower myself. But Chris Martin had a different approach, encouraging me to join him on stage. He kindly assisted me in climbing over the barrier.

During a stage appearance, Chris inquired about my name, occupation, and hometown. He then placed a microphone in front of me and gave me a harmonica, even though I am not skilled in playing it. He instructed me to blow on it when he looked down. Spontaneously, he composed a song about me, mentioning that I am a personal trainer from Dublin. It was brief but enjoyable.

I played the harmonica after he sang a few lines. Having a couple of drinks beforehand boosted my performance. My adrenaline was at its peak, and it felt like gazing up at a sky filled with stars. I wasn’t even aware that there were 80,000 people watching me.

After his performance, Chris hurried back to the main stage. However, he kindly handed me a harmonica, and when I opened it later, I found €50 inside. As I made my way up O’Connell Street towards town, I played the harmonica and enjoyed the lively atmosphere. People were having a great time and some even recognized me as the guy who crowdsurfed.

The news of my story reached around the world – even my friend in New Zealand saw it on the news. I am acquainted with some musicians who have been performing for decades, and they are astonished that I performed in front of a larger audience than they have in their entire careers.

Although there was no crowdsurfing, it was still one of the greatest concerts I have ever attended. Coldplay will be returning to Dublin for four consecutive nights next summer. Unfortunately, I was unable to secure a ticket this time.

Andy McGrath was informed

Would you like to share your own experience? Please send an email to [email protected].

Source: theguardian.com