Richard Branson Blogs About His Near-Death Bike Accident While training on his bicycle, he took a nasty fall that nearly launched him off a cliff.
By Dan Bova
Billionaire Richard Branson just posted pics of the aftermath of a harrowing bike outing that was anything but a fun day in the sun. On his Virgin blog, he wrote:
"A couple of nights ago I went cycling on Virgin Gorda with Holly and Sam as part of my training for the Virgin Strive Challenge. I was heading down a hill towards Leverick Bay when it suddenly got really dark and I managed to hit a "sleeping policeman' hump in the road head on. The next thing I knew, I was being hurled over the handlebars and my life was literally flashing before my eyes."
Branson goes on to describe how he was launched head-first into the road and credits his helmet for saving his life. His ride wasn't quite as fortunate. "My bike went flying off the cliff and disappeared," he writes. "We've since recovered the crumpled bicycle, completely destroyed."
Related: 'Screw It, Just Do It' Exclusive Video Interview with Sir Richard Branson
Here is a horrifying photo he tweeted following the crash.
Forget my injuries (cracked cheek, torn ligaments) – I'm having to drink tea out of a straw! https://t.co/aEh6TsDQz4 pic.twitter.com/t8g8HdHFqN
— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) August 26, 2016
He writes that he "only" suffered some torn ligaments and a cracked cheekbone, and hopes to still complete the Virgin Strive Challenge next month. The ever-upbeat CEO couldn't help but get a little cheeky about his busted cheek, writing, "My attitude has always been, if you fall flat on your face, at least you're moving forward. All you have to do is get back up and try again. At least I'm practicing what I preach -- though a little too literally!"
Earlier this year, Branson sat down with Entrepreneur and told us about his approach to risk and overcoming failure. Watch here.
Get well soon, Sir Richard!