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Daily Record
26-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Record
Ex-Rangers owner Sir David Murray says losing legs after horror crash inspired life of courage
Murray was left fighting for his life when a tyre blowout sent his high-powered sports car careering off the road. March 13, 1976 - little did he know it but Sir David Murray was speeding towards a crossroads. Driving home having just played in a rugby match on the outskirts of Edinburgh, the then 24-year-old future Rangers owner would be left fighting for his life when a tyre blowout sent his high-powered sports car careering off the road and into a tree. The burgeoning metals tycoon was able to be cut free from the devastated wreckage but the damage inflicted upon his mangled lower limbs gave surgeons no other option but to amputate his legs below the knee. In the days after as he began a gruelling recovery process, Murray realised he had only two directions in which to turn. He could point himself down a path of self-pity and despair. Or he could steer himself along a more productive and determined road, one where he would not allow his life-changing injuries to define him as a person nor a businessman. Now 50 years on, Sir David has opened up on the thoughts and emotions that inspired him to choose courage over resignation. And the four words that he chose to rebuild his life around. While recovering in the hospital, Murray received a letter from hero pilot Douglas Bader who lost both of his legs in an air crash in the 1930s but recovered to fly missions for the RAF during World War two. Recalling the events of that fateful day, he writes in his new autobiography: 'On an overcast Saturday afternoon on March 13, I drove my then two-year old son David to Musselburgh after gently persuading him that a nice thing to do would be to buy a bunch of flowers for his mum, Louise. "It wasn't a special occasion but he was happy to go along. 'I dropped him off back at home in Longniddry, East Lothian, then drove the 10 miles to play stand-off for Dalkeith against North Berwick. 'I kicked three conversions in a 16-9 victory and then began to make my way home. ' The car – a purple Lotus Elite – had been serviced just 24 hours earlier and unbeknown to me at the time, the tyre pressures had been inflated to almost twice what they should have been. 'I also didn't put my seatbelt on – it wasn't a legal requirement back then. 'As I made my way along a dual carriageway near Longniddry, in East Lothian, the front left tyre suddenly blew. 'There was nothing I could have done. 'The car lurched to the side, I left the road and smashed headlong into a tree. 'Revisiting the scene much, much later, I realised that just a few yards before the tree and a few yards after it, there was nothing but open fields. 'How that tree is still standing I don't know, but remarkably it is. 'I recently stopped at the same spot again and nearly 50 years after the accident, there are still marks on the base of the tree. Equally amazingly, there are also still purple shards of the car's bodywork embedded in my upper leg. 'Memories of the exact moment are hazy. The vehicle was made of fibreglass and the impact forced the engine block right through the facia and into the driver and passenger seat. 'I was immediately shunted right through the door and lay unconscious and bleeding next to the wreckage. If I'd been wearing a seatbelt, I'd have been stuck in the car – things might have been much worse. 'A number of rugby supporters who had actually been at the game stopped their cars and raced to my side. There was lots of blood and they applied tourniquets with their ties to try to halt the flow. 'They somehow kept me alive and even though I can remember nothing about it, an ambulance was called and arrived quickly to take me 18 miles to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. 'That night, I lost 13 pints of blood and there was no option for surgeons but to immediately amputate parts of my mangled legs through the knees.' Murray made his fortunes in the metal game. At its peak, his company was turning over £350million and selling 450,000 tonnes of steel a year - equivalent to the materials needed to construct a dozen Forth Rail Bridges. But it was his own iron-clad resolve that proved to be his most valuable personal commodity as he battled back from his brush with fate. He adds: ' My wife Louise, of course, was frantic with worry yet somehow I'd managed to call her from a hospital payphone while lying on a trolley taking me back to the ward. 'I told her, 'You have to come. I'm in a bad way.' I have absolutely no recollection of this. "Louise, my family and friends took turns to sit by my bedside during the following days as I struggled to recover. 'The anaesthetist Ned Trench and a surgeon fought to give me a better chance of a partial recovery, but five days after the accident they were finally defeated after an infection set in. 'I ended up having a further nine inches of my legs removed. Following this I was finally transferred to the Princess Margaret Rose Hospital for 10 weeks of intensive care. 'I must have spent days and hours wondering how I might cope with the rest of my life. I was still a young man, with a wife and young family and I was passionate about business and playing sports. I just felt numb but then that letter arrived and it made me so determined to carry on. 'I admire your courage'… four words that have long had a bearing on so many aspects of my life. It became a blueprint. Four words that a doctor or a nurse at my bedside in the hospital might have been expected to utter and if they had, they might have been referring to the fact that I apparently had never cried. Not once. "The reason I have built so much of my life around those words is that they were conveyed to me – in a private letter – by a man who personified courage: Sir Douglas Bader. "Like millions of others I was only aware of him because of the 1956 British war film Reach For The Sky where Bader was played by Kenneth More. In 1976, at the age of 24, I had just lost both of my legs – in a car crash – and was lying in hospital, a bi-lateral amputee, when the nurse delivered the letter that would act as a motivation throughout the rest of my life.' Former Ibrox gaffer Graeme Souness describes Murray in the book as 'the most competitive human being I've ever met'. It was that defiant streak the millionaire, now 73, leant on as he was forced to to learn to walk again with the aid of prosthetic limbs. And that determination was key to his establishing a billion-pound business empire and footballing dynasty that would see Rangers dominate Scottish football in the 1990s. 'In life, I never try to look back,' he adds. 'We all have decisions to make – some of them big, reflective moments – and I am a great believer in the fact that you either turn left or you turn right. 'If anyone I know is ever in trouble or facing adversity, I always tell them that every problem has a solution and to always look ahead. 'Be decisive. Stay positive. I had no intention of quitting.' Preorder on Amazon HERE
Scottish Sun
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Trump parade LIVE: Crowds begin to gather in Washington DC for Donald Trump's historic US Army birthday parade
TODAY'S THE DAY Trump parade LIVE: Crowds begin to gather in Washington DC for Donald Trump's historic US Army birthday parade Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) DONALD Trump is set to kick off a massive military parade in Washington today to celebrate the US Army's 250th anniversary - on his birthday. Crowds have started to gather for the historic military parade, which will see thousands of troops flanked by battle tanks and World War two planes march on the streets. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 People walk with the Washington Monument on the background on the day of a military parade Credit: Reuters 4 People wear hats dedicated to the US Army's 250th anniversary on the day of the parade Credit: Reuters 4 A person wears a hat with US flags on the day of the military parade Credit: Reuters 4 A supporter of President Donald Trump wears a hat with US flags on the day of the military parade Credit: Reuters Patriotic tunes will fill the air in Washington DC as the commander in chief turns 79 - with the grand military spectacle set to commemorate the US Army's 250th anniversary. The grandiose military parade will showcase soldiers, sailors, airmen and US Marines marching in their uniforms in front of thousands of spectators. As many as 7,000 troops and seven band contingents have reportedly been called to participate in the show. They will be accompanied by at least 150 military vehicles and some 50 aircraft. Some 2,000 civilians could also take march alongside the US military. The Army expects as many as 200,000 people could attend the festival and parade. For years, the president is said to have had his eyes on a full-blown military show, but has failed to put up a working plan - until now. Plans are to roll down battle tanks, massive military equipment, and aircraft and missiles, just as Trump first envisioned the parade during his first term. Among the military equipment set to be flaunted are M1A1 Abrams tanks, Bradley Fighting Vehicles, World War II Sherman tanks and four WWII-era P-51 aircraft. The whole celebration will be enclosed with an 18-mile ring of steel to protect the parade. Drones and a small army of cops will be on hand to keep order - with there expected to be protests across the country as part of "No Kings" day, a series of anti-Trump rallies by people objecting to the parade. It comes after a week of unrest in many cities - with anti-immigration raid riots in LA and protests against ICE across the US. Stay up to date with the latest on the parade with The Sun's live blog below...
The Irish Sun
14-06-2025
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Trump parade LIVE: Crowds begin to gather in Washington DC for Donald Trump's historic US Army birthday parade
DONALD Trump is set to kick off a massive military parade in Washington today to celebrate the US Army's 250th anniversary - on his birthday. Crowds have started to gather for the historic military parade, which will see thousands of troops flanked by battle tanks and World War two planes march on the streets. 4 People walk with the Washington Monument on the background on the day of a military parade Credit: Reuters 4 People wear hats dedicated to the US Army's 250th anniversary on the day of the parade Credit: Reuters 4 A person wears a hat with US flags on the day of the military parade Credit: Reuters 4 A supporter of President Donald Trump wears a hat with US flags on the day of the military parade Credit: Reuters Patriotic tunes will fill the air in Washington DC as the commander in chief turns 79 - with the The grandiose military parade will showcase As many as 7,000 troops and seven band contingents have reportedly been called to participate in the show. They will be accompanied by at least 150 military vehicles and some 50 aircraft. Some 2,000 civilians could also take march alongside the US military. The Army expects as many as 200,000 people could attend the festival and parade. For years, the president is said to have had his eyes on a full-blown military show, but has failed to put up a working plan - until now. Plans are to roll down battle tanks, massive military equipment, and aircraft and missiles, just as Trump first envisioned the parade during his first term. Most read in The US Sun Among the military equipment set to be flaunted are M1A1 Abrams tanks, Bradley Fighting Vehicles, World War II Sherman tanks and four WWII-era P-51 aircraft. The whole celebration will be enclosed with an 18-mile ring of steel to protect the parade. Drones and a small army of cops will be on hand to keep order - with there expected to be protests across the country as part of "No Kings" day, a series of anti-Trump rallies by people objecting to the parade. It comes after a week of unrest in many cities - with Stay up to date with the latest on the parade with The Sun's live blog below...
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
World War II veteran among those honored at HHI Memorial Day ceremony
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (WSAV) – Monday, Hilton Head Island's annual ceremony drew dozens of veterans and hundreds of people who showed their respect for those who fought. 'We honor those today that gave the ultimate love. You can't give any more than they did.' USMC Colonel Kenneth Delmazo said from the podium. That was why this crowd came to the Hilton Head Veterans Memorial to honor those who fought and those who sacrificed for our country. 'They put their lives in danger,' Delmazo said. 'They left their families. They answered the nation's call when it was needed. Regardless of the politics of the day, it didn't matter. And here's what always gets me. And when I think about this, they did it for people they don't even know.' The 32nd annual event sponsored by the Navy League offered patriotic music and a special resolution offered by Mayor Alan Perry from the town to all veterans. That resolution was then given to the longest serving and surviving member of the military at today's ceremony, World War two veteran Gerald Hushour. Hushour is 97 years old and offered a very simple message on carrying on a long life. 'Exercise and don't get upset over political problems,' said a smiling Hushour. Among the veterans and citizens who came to the event, the entire Gleason family. More than a dozen people from four generations. They have come to the Island for vacation and come to this ceremony for 18 years in a row. They say it is the best way they can think of to honor their father and grandfather, a World War two veteran himself who first brought them to the annual event. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
American Victory Ship commemorates 80 years of service on Memorial Day weekend
The Brief The American Victory Ship is commemorating 80 years of service on Memorial Day this weekend. It officially launched out of California 80 years ago, and would go on to serve in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. The ship now serves the Tampa Bay community as a floating museum and training site. TAMPA - A historic ship is commemorating Memorial Day this weekend while also marking a historic milestone of its own. The backstory The American Victory Ship officially launched out of California 80 years ago on May 24, 1945. After being built in just 55 days, the vessel would go on to serve in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Now she serves the Tampa Bay community as a floating museum and training site. To celebrate the anniversary, staff hosted historic World War two vehicles and reenactors, offered rare, guided engine room tours, and had local food trucks on site. READ: 2-time prisoner of war veteran inspires grandson to become physical therapist Bill Kuzmick, the President of the American Victory Ship & Museum Steering Committee, told FOX 13 every dollar that comes through the door goes back towards restoring and maintaining the now 80-year-old steamship. What they're saying "It really takes a lot of effort to paint, powder and everything it takes to keep the ship running, so it's important to continue to raise awareness for the ship and keep her running. She's part of American history," Kuzmick stressed. Admission for all guests is lowered to $8 all weekend. They will also open at 10 a.m. instead of 12 p.m. on Memorial Day, when they plan on having WWII veterans join them on board. What you can do The American Victory ship is always looking for more volunteers to help with tours year-round. You can learn more by visiting the American Victory Ship and Museum website. CLICK HERE:>>>Follow FOX 13 on YouTube The Source Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Regina Gonzalez. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
