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War hero inspires Redcar Business Forum

Former Royal Marine Ben McBean lost an arm and a leg when he was blown up in Afghanistan.

Today (Tuesday May 21) he shared his inspiring story of courage, tenacity and love of life with those attending the first Redcar and Cleveland Business Forum.

More than 40 businessmen and women attended the inaugural Business Forum at Innovation Centre, Kirkleatham Business Park, and all of those who attended said they would return for the next one.

The Business Forum was organised by Redcar and Cleveland Enterprise Team and will provide network opportunities, along with advice and information on a range of topics, to encourage business growth across the borough.

Ben, 26, lost an arm and a leg when an incendiary device exploded as he and fellow marines were on patrol in Afghanistan five years ago.

He believed his life was about to end ? but in true military style he refused to go down without a fight.

As surgeons did their best to put his broken body back together, Ben focused on the future.

And while still recovering from the trauma of the double amputation he set himself a challenge of running the London Marathon the following year.

He completed that challenge ? crossing the finish line in just over six hours - and has since trekked to Base Camp at Everest and completed the Three Peaks Challenge.

He has also founded a thriving property development company, which he started with the £300,000 compensation he received from the MoD.

He bought a derelict 27-bedroom property in Plymouth and set about renovating it ? but not until he had rehoused the squatters who had made it home.

His company now has a portfolio of more than 30 properties across the south of England.

And despite regular surgery to remove shrapnel from his body Ben?s love of life remains infectious.

Many of those who attended the Business Forum, including Jo Holmes, from Hunley Hotel and Golf Club, admitted they didn?t know whether to laugh or cry as Ben told of the minutes and months following the explosion ? including a story of how a fellow marine unwittingly gave himself a shot of morphine while trying to relieve Ben?s pain.

And how - while medics fought to keep him alive - he gave a thumbs up pose for a photograph, because, he said, if he died on the operating table he wanted his family and friends to remember him as someone who never gave up.

Ben said: ?When I got blown up I closed my eyes and thought about dying to shut out the pain, I wanted to drift off.

?But I didn?t want my family and friends to think I?d given up, so I fought back, and I?m still fighting back, to lead as normal a life as possible.

?I believe we should focus on our abilities, not disabilities, we should use the skills and talents we have and not dwell on the things we are unable to do.

?We all have challenges, we all have setbacks, it?s how we deal with those things that makes us who we are.?

The next Redcar and Cleveland Business Forum will be held on Tuesday, June 18, at 7.30am at the Innovation Centre, Kirkleatham Business Park.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Lottie King .