By Alison Graves Rebecca Jones
Martine Wright, from Tring, Hertfordshire, is known as the most severely injured female survivor of the 7/7 London bombings, which tragically took the lives of 52 people. This week marks two decades since the horrific attack, and Martine is now bravely sharing her story about losing her legs in the explosion and how she transformed her life to become a Paralympian.
At 52, Martine’s injuries were so severe that her siblings couldn’t recognise her in the hospital. However, this mum-of-one has made remarkable strides since that dreadful day, which will forever be imprinted in her memory.
The 7th of July 2005 began as an ordinary day for Martine, who was living and working in London as a marketing manager. A passionate sports enthusiast, she had spent the previous evening celebrating the news that London would host the 2012 Olympic Games.
Waking up with a bit of a hangover after the celebrations, she hit the snooze button on her alarm and ended up taking a later Tube train than usual that morning.
However, within moments of settling into her seat and unfolding her newspaper, a terrorist struck, reports the Mirror.
Walking us through that devastating day, Martine remembers, “I distinctly remember going into the tunnel at Liverpool Street and thinking about getting tickets for the Olympics when the explosion happened.”
Big white flash
“I don’t remember the noise of the explosion, I just recall a big white flash in front of my eyes. It was strange that I had enough time to think, ‘What the hell is going on?’ I can’t believe I had enough time to think that in that nanosecond.”
Martine was initially confused, thinking the Tube train had crashed amidst the chaos, screams, and devastation. Little did she know, a bomb had detonated mere feet away from her in what would be marked as the first suicide attack on British soil.
Describing the harrowing details, Martine recounts, “There were all sorts of screams and electrical smells coming from the cables. A gentleman who was sitting next to me as the bomb went off was being electrocuted before my eyes.” She witnessed more of the terrifying aftermath as the smoke began to clear. “I could see thick black smoke, which then started clearing, then I realised my body had been swung around 90 degrees.”
Her ordeal didn’t end there as she struggled to understand why she couldn’t move – until the grim reality dawned upon her. “The smoke started clearing and I couldn’t figure out why I couldn’t move. Then I realised my legs were caught up in the wreckage. I looked up and saw one of my white trainers about six feet above my head with blood all over it – and it obviously wasn’t attached to my body any more. I realised at that point that I was an amputee.”
Though she lost an alarming amount of blood, putting her life in grave danger, an off-duty police officer, Liz Kenworthy, became her beacon of hope. Ingeniously requesting belts and cardigans from those nearby, Liz crafted tourniquets to control the bleeding.
Staying by Martine’s side well over an hour until the arrival of emergency services, Liz’s valiant efforts didn’t go unrecognised; she was later honoured with an MBE for her heroic actions. Reflecting on the experience, Martine speaks of Liz as her “guardian angel” and remarkably shares that she never felt terror in the face of death regardless of her grievous wounds.
“Liz was running towards danger and refusing to leave when we didn’t know if there would be another device, and she stayed with me,” Martine shares. “I thought the blood was coming out of my stomach as well because my guts were all coming out.
“I felt like I was in some sort of film. I was stuck for an hour and a quarter and had to be cut out – and I was the last person to be rescued. While I thought I had fallen unconscious, a firefighter later told me I dug my nails into him, which left a scar, and I was screaming in agony.”
After being pulled out, Martine was quickly taken to the Royal London Hospital into a room with 22 other survivors named ‘Hotel Unknown’ as she’d arrived without ID. Her brother and sister didn’t recognise her, so when a doctor asked them if anyone else could identify her, Martine’s mum arrived on the ward.
“She recognised me by my eyebrows,” Martine remembers.
Martine was in a coma for a week and underwent about 12 operations, including a double leg amputation. She says, “I’m a product of the hard work and commitment of those NHS doctors and nurses – they’re amazing.”
Addressing how she began to process what had happened, Martine says, “I found out 52 people had died and my feelings started changing when I talked to other victims in the hospital who had lost limbs too.
“I’ve always been a positive person and saw a lot of amputees struggling. I felt I could be positive for them. I wanted to hold their hands and say, ‘It’s going to be OK.'”
Martine, who tragically became a double-amputee at the tender age of 33, showed immense resilience as she initially returned to her corporate job, only to break down in tears just 45 seconds into her workday. A heartfelt conversation with her boss made it clear she needed a new direction.
From Corporate World to Paralympic Glory
A physiotherapist’s invitation to an amputee Paralympic potential day changed Martine’s life, where she discovered a passion for sitting volleyball and wheelchair tennis, leading to a spot on Great Britain’s pioneering sitting volleyball team.
By July 2009, Martine had welcomed her son Oscar, and just three months later, she was on her journey to compete in the 2012 Paralympics with Team GB. Although no longer a London resident, coming back to the city for the event was poignant; she wore a No 7 shirt in honour of the date that significantly altered her life.
She reflects with fondness, “London will always be in my heart. It’s in my blood. But I am glad I live in Hertfordshire with my family now.”
Following her astounding achievements in the Paralympics, Martine took to motivating others as a speaker, reporting for Channel 4, and penning books. Her contribution to sport earned her an MBE in 2016.
Commemorating Two Decades
Despite the psychological challenges, on the 10-year anniversary of that life-changing event, Martine bravely rode the Tube once more, journeying from Westbourne Grove to Wimbledon with her loved ones by her side.
“I went into the tunnel and my heart started pounding, but I’ve been back on the Tube since then,” she shares. “The other day, I went to London Bridge and back, but it’s a logistical nightmare with prosthetic legs and a wheelchair.”
Now, two decades on from the bombings, Martine reveals her plans to commemorate the anniversary. She’s aiming to fundraise for charities that have supported her journey, even hinting at a potential mountain climb.
“This year is really about reflecting on how kind of lucky I am. It was horrific, but amazing things have come my way as a result of going through that awful day.”