In early January 2019, South African rally driver Ashley Haigh-Smith crashed while testing a new race car. He went off the road at around 130km/h and collided with a bridge pillar, stopping instantly. The impact snapped his spine in seven places (T1-T7), dislodged his diaphragm and cracked four of his ribs. Highly fortunate to not be paralysed, the injuries made for a long road to recovery. The doctors recommended spinal fusion, but Haigh-Smith refused. “It would’ve led to ab