Racing’s Christmas miracle: From intensive care to home in 10 days

Nathan Williamson has no memory of the accident that saw him placed in an induced coma. Photo/HRNZ

It is the heartwarming Christmas news many in the racing industry hoped for: injured horseman Nathan Williamson is back home with his family in Southland.

The popular 37-year-old suffered head injuries and was placed in an induced coma after a shocking race accident at Alexandra Park 12 days ago when his sulky seat malfunctioned and he crashed to the track.

He was at the time looming up to win the Group 1 Woodlands Queen Of Hearts with his own stable runner, Captain’s Mistress, before the accident 50m from the winning post.

But rather than a Group 1 lost, the concern was instantly for Williamson, who was taken to Auckland Hospital where he spent three days in the Intensive Care Unit with his wife, Katie, and his parents by his side.

But just 11 days later, on Tuesday morning, Williamson was given the all clear by doctors and he and Katie returned to their children in Southland in time for Christmas.

“It means so much to be able to come home before Christmas but we weren’t sure it was going to be possible,” says Williamson.

“The doctors were initially concerned about flying affecting my brain while I was still healing but they gave us the all clear on Monday.”

Williamson is nursing a nasty gash with several stitches above his right eye but started to feel better over the weekend as his headaches subsided.

He and Katie were even able to watch online as stable rep Clotilde Wainwright won her $60,000 Harness 5000 Final at Ashburton on Sunday with Craig Ferguson in the sulky.

While Williamson won’t be straight back into the sulky, he is surprised how well he feels already.

“As I sit here at home, I am a lot better than I was even on Sunday watching the races,” he says.

“I think with a bit more rest, I could be starting to feel back to 100 per cent in a few weeks.”

Williamson will undergo further medical assessments and that will include one before he is passed ready to return to work and then eventually race driving.

Like many sportspeople who suffer head injuries, Williamson has no memory of the actual fall.

“I remember right up until it happened, thinking we were going to win and then nothing.

“When I was brought out of the coma, I had to ask if we still won the race and whether I had been hit by another horse after.”

Captain’s Mistress has headed to Australia where she will spend time with NSW trainer Jason Grimson, but the Williamsons have great staff at home to help look after their team while Nathan recovers.

But that is racing stuff, which comes and goes, wins and losses.

The Williamsons just won the most important battle of Nathan’s life and he is back where he belongs in time for Christmas with a battle scar to tell the kids about.

Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald’s Racing Editor in 1995 and covers the world’s biggest horse racing carnivals.