Former Royal Marine Jon White, 43, who lost both legs and an arm after stepping on an explosive device in Afghanistan, was overcome with emotion as he reunited with the medical team at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QE) that helped save him 16 years ago.
Jon’s return was his first visit to the QE Hospital since his rescue and intensive rehabilitation following the devastating blast. He was initially treated in the hospital’s then-new intensive care unit and later at The Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, a joint NHS and military facility.
Among the team who cared for him was physiotherapist Jane Young, part of the dedicated group of surgeons, nurses, and therapists who supported Jon and many others injured on Afghanistan’s battlefields.
Jon vividly recalls the moment in June 2010 when his life changed forever. Leading a patrol in the fiercely contested Taliban stronghold of Sangin, he stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED). “Suddenly I was flying through the air,” he said. “I saw the grey dawn sky and everything flying over me. I realised it was me who had been hit before landing on the ground.”
Despite severe injuries – losing his right leg above the knee, his left leg below the knee, and nearly all of his right arm – Jon fought to stay conscious, knowing that losing awareness could mean death. A rapid extraction team rescued him, and he was stabilized at Camp Bastion before being evacuated to Birmingham.
“My first memory here is waking up four days after I got on a Chinook in Helmand,” Jon recalls. “The QE was where I had to face what my new life was going to look like.” He spent three weeks in intensive care and rehabilitation at QE Hospital.
“The nurses’ support helped me improve day by day. From not being able to move to being able to get in and out of a wheelchair, go up and down stairs, and even in and out of a car – those were huge milestones,” Jon said.
Jane Young described the challenging environment amid many casualties with severe limb loss. “Despite everything, Jon and others like him were incredibly motivated. They never complained, always rising to every challenge,” she said.
Jon’s recovery involved mastering basic tasks like rolling over in bed and using the toilet independently – “small things that were monumental goals,” Jane reflected. She found their determination inspiring and is moved to see how far Jon has come. “From the depths of despair, he is now living a full life with a great sense of humour – a genuinely nice bloke.”
Also present was Alistair Carns, former Royal Marine commander and current MP for Birmingham Selly Oak, who coordinated Jon’s visit. Carns and Jon were close friends from their early officer training days and both served in Afghanistan. He recalled the anxiety upon learning about Jon’s injuries.
“Jon only survived because of the swift, expert care from the medics at the front line, Camp Bastion, and QE Hospital. He has since built an incredible life—father to two kids, a Paralympic rower, business owner, charity supporter, and inspirational speaker.”
Jon also visited Fisher House at QE, a facility offering accommodation and support to families of injured service personnel during treatment, underscoring the comprehensive care that helped him survive and thrive.