In May 2024, Luke Tarrant lost his leg in a motorcycle accident while travelling through South America. He speaks to Kate Stevenson about his incredible journey so far
Just five months after leaving hospital, Luke Tarrant is already planning his return to the open road. On a solo adventure that was meant to take him all the way to Antarctica, Luke had a devastating motorcycle crash in Colombia which cost him his leg and left him with complications like sepsis. But his resilience is as striking as his story. Others clearly agree – as Luke shares his journey on social media, he’s gained a massive following.
NOT PLAYING SAFE
Luke’s rise to Instagram stardom was unplanned. “After my accident, my parents started updating my account to keep my UK friends in the loop,” he explains. As his follower numbers increased, Luke’s strength also grew. Recovery was far from straightforward though, and he remained in Columbia for several weeks before he could be transferred back to a UK hospital.
Eight surgeries later, when Luke was back on home soil, he found the time to reflect: “At first I was excited to be home but, when I finally sat in my flat, it hit me: nothing about my life was normal anymore. I hadn’t just lost my leg; I’d lost the life I once had,” he confesses. “One night, I woke up and couldn’t even get through my bathroom door in my wheelchair. That moment broke me,” Luke admits.
Luke shakes his head as he remembers; the rawness of his very recent accident is clearly still fresh in his mind.
“The best times of my life have been on my motorbike,” he continues. “People think I’m mad for wanting to get back on one, but I’ve realised life’s fragile anyway. We all die eventually – I’d rather live fully, doing what I love, than play it safe and regret it.”
FULL THROTTLE
Although he says he “always wanted an interesting life, not necessarily an easy one,” adjusting to life with a prosthetic limb has been a steep learning curve. He admits getting back on his bike might take longer than he first thought: “I prefer to wear my prosthetic – I feel small and cut off from the world in my wheelchair – but it’s not always possible. My stump changes shape, so if I use the leg for a day, I might be off it for three. And sometimes, my brain still forgets it’s not there. I’ll slip or reach for it, and there’s just… nothing.”
It’s clear that, while Luke’s recovery is still a work in progress, he’s not waiting around. He’s already started training for the British Indoor Rowing Championships, and has been talking with Paralympic coaches about a future in competitive sports.
Luke’s biggest goal? Returning to Colombia to finish his journey to Antarctica. “It might take years, but I’ll do it. I want to stand at the end of the world, knowing I didn’t give up.”