OLYMPIAN Don Williams yesterday spoke from his intensive care bed to praise the people who rescued him after his near-fatal cliff fall on Little Sark.
‘People have been just brilliant,’ he said, ‘from the guy who first got there to the doctors here: their willingness to give up their time and their speed, dedication and care have filled me with gratitude and admiration.’
‘You don’t see them at work very often until you need them, but these are extraordinary people.’
And Mr Williams, 41, warned people against tackling the route described in The Island of Sark – Caves and Scrambles, by Terrance M. Kiernan, that he was following when he fell at about 3.30pm on Tuesday.
He said the book needed updating as the route had become much more dangerous since it was published.
‘I’m not a complete muppet tourist, I was following a guide,’ he said. ‘I don’t recommend anybody else follows it unless it has a rewrite first.’
Mr Williams, who played hockey for Great Britain in the 1992 Barcelona Games, said he felt lucky to be alive.