Matt Gantry Bio

Matt Gantry was born in the north-west of England on the 2nd of August, 1985. His two earliest years were spent living in the Wirral, before his parents made a move to Leicestershire. This is where he lives to this day. Commencing a plumbing apprenticeship after leaving school at eighteen, he worked for the Borough Council maintenance contractor, as well as on many prestigious contracts all over England. Four years later, Matt took and passed a Class II Heavy Goods Vehicle Licence and realised a childhood dream of being a truck driver. Unfortunately this wasn’t to last. Just three weeks into his new lorry driving career, Matt was involved in a life-threatening and life changing road traffic collision.

After a three and a half hour rescue, which one firefighter, with over twenty years’ service under his belt, said was the most technically challenging extrication of his career. Matt having had his heart restarted twice by ambulance personnel, while trapped in the wreckage of the twenty six tonne truck was airlifted by the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance to the Walsgrave Hospital in Coventry. This is where he was rushed into a lifesaving five and a half hour brain operation.

Matt was discharged from hospital after having broken his left foot, left ankle, left kneecap, severed a tendon for the vastus lateralis muscle at the side of his left leg, fractured his skull and having spent a month in a medically indued coma. He no longer had a sense of smell and had lost 2/3 of the sight in his right eye. He still suffers with nerve damage to the right hand side of his upper body (little things like carrying a cup of tea with his right hand are impossible).

After a one hundred and one day stay with the NHS, he spent sixteen months regularly visiting hospital for outpatients physiotherapy appointments. Progressing from wheelchair to Zimmer Frame, to crutches and then a walking stick. He was finally able to walk unaided, albeit very gingerly.

It was during this time he read 'Seven Troop' by Andy McNab, the book is a non-fiction account of his time in the Special Air Service. Some of the lads in his troop suffered, or do still suffer with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and there were striking similarities with how at times, he felt. That was when Matt self-diagnosed himself with PTSD: severe bouts of anger and rage, an unequal reaction to an action, extreme depression and suicidal thoughts, to name but a few. His GP (Physician), didn’t agree however and told him he needed to find something to do, Matt went on to raise over £5,000 for the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance, that had previously saved his life. Returning to the doctors feeling exactly the same, once again he was told he wasn’t correct. His GP sent him to anger management counselling, that didn’t do anything for him either. After another year of being in a very dark place and asking for help, but not getting anywhere and finally arranging a meeting with the top neuro lady at Leicester General Hospital. She explained he didn’t have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, but the symptoms of a head injury and PTSD overlapped. Knowing this he could more easily deal with the feelings he was getting and it all made sense. Being alone and not knowing why he was getting like he was, was the scariest thing he has ever been through. Matt was correct with his initial diagnosis, he was just calling it the wrong thing. He’s not angry with the GP and the NHS for missing it, because in 2008/2009, head injuries and mental health wasn’t such a big deal. He’s just thankful he had the strength of character and mental fortitude, to quell the weekly suicidal thoughts.

During this process of recovery Matt was getting back into work and found that many of his previous jobs, were no longer an option. Plumbing was a no go because he wasn’t as mobile as before, neither was landscape gardening. He would have jumped straight into a truck again, but due to the sight loss in his right eye, his Class II HGV Licence was revoked. He attempted many more jobs, but all became impossible due to his injuries, both physical and mental, that’s why he turned to writing. The only qualification he had for this was a B grade in GCSE English Language and a love of reading and writing.

Matt is currently working on the screenplay for 'The Gamer' and writing sequel novel, 'The Gamers'! Four or five days per week, Matt is up early and on the spinning on the bike in his office, followed by a heavy gym session to help aid his continued recovery. He loves a pub quiz and is a regular participant at the one held at his local, as well as having previously written a number of quizzes for more local pubs. Matt loves the rural location he lives in and spends much of his free time at his childhood friend’s farm, when he’s not writing.