Paralysed paramedic completes lap at Armoy a year after serious crash
A motorcycle paramedic who was left paralysed after a crash one year ago has completed a lap of the circuit where he nearly lost his life.
Thirty-year-old Allister MacSorley, from Portadown, suffered life-altering injuries in July 2018 when he was involved in a high-speed collision with a medical van at the Armoy Races.
Exactly twelve months on, the young 'flying doctor' returned to complete his lap on a specially-adapted Triumph Daytona 675 to help "draw a line" under the accident.
After completing a lap MacSorley said it was "an amazing feeling to get back out on my bike and to wear that iconic (flying doctor) helmet that means so much to me, my family and entire racing community".
"To get to finish the lap was pretty special and seeing all of the medics, marshals and fans track side, cheering, clapping and waving their programmes, was pretty emotional," he told the BBC.
"I wanted to lift my hand off the handlebar and wave, but I couldn't because I'd lose my balance and fall off. I had no option but to pull the clutch in and rev the throttle, so that was my way of acknowledging the crowd.
"The whole thing was just exceptional and I'm still on cloud nine at being able to achieve this just 12 months on from the incident."
Despite the life-changing accident, Mr MacSorley revealed he is still working with the medical team at races.
He also said: "This is quite significant, 12 months on and I'm back on a bike. I've finished my lap so I feel like I can put it to bed and draw a line under it and it's all about looking forward."
About Armoy Races
The Armoy Race Circuit is 3.03 miles long and Triangular in shape. It’s ridden in an anti-clockwise direction. The Grid is set up in a Grand Prix style, with 3 groups of nine riders up to a maximum of 27 riders starting each race. Hillside Road, Glenshesk Road and Lagge Road often used by the historic Armoy Armada to test their bikes on, are still the same roads used today for the Official Armoy Road Races.
