Our Hero and friend Eddie Kidd was the inspiration for setting up the Foundation. His life long journey of fabulous and action packed events and achievements have amazed everyone he has ever touched and reached, however, his biggest challenge now is his personal plight to overcome his disabilities from his near death experience he encountered from the tragic accident back in 1996.
Eddie Kidd World Record Holder and Daredevil Stuntman, sex symbol to thousands of women, an inspiration to millions of fans, a loving father with a heart of gold and stunt double to Hollywood stars including Pierce Brosnam, Michael Caine, Roger Moore, Michael Douglas and Harrison Ford to name but a few. He was on top of his game and on top of the world.
Tragically, on August 11th 1996, at the Hell's Angel's Bulldog Bash, Eddie had an horrific crash leaving him unconscious and close to the brink of death. Doctors battled to save him after he flat-lined twice but then he slipped into a coma. In truth the Doctors didn't know when or whether he would ever come around.
3 months passed and with his devoted family by his side... ...Eddie miraculously regained consciousness. Eddie, however, suffered brain damage from his ordeal and found himself wheelchair bound. He now discovered new challenges in his life battling his frustrations, everyday rehab and generally coming to terms that his life has significantly changed and his demons tormenting him. 13 years have passed and Eddie has progressed but relatively slowly, he's had his ups and downs but there has been no breakthrough in getting him back on his feet ......until now. He has persevered to recover from his injuries which at first left him unable to walk & unable to talk.
Eddie Kidd is a living legend, and his story is about determination and courage and his overwhelming wish to get back on his feet is not over.
Eddie Kidd was born on 22 June 1959. Most of his childhood was spent, like most young boys, playing football and aspiring to be the next George Best, but at the age of 12 he was inspired by a film about Evel Knievel and thought that stunt bike jumping looked a much more exciting career to follow. So he started training on au ordinary beat up bicycle, jumping over oil cans, barrels and sometimes even his school mates!! Within just 2 years he joined the Cyclo-Maniacs stunt team and within a year of joining the team became holder of the Junior World Jump Record by successfully soaring over eight coaches on a motorcycle.
At the age of 18, his earlier inspiration and dedication paid off when he successfully jumped a distance of over 190ft, clearing 14 double decker buses. He had become the first ever stunt jumper to cover such a distance and retain control of the bike after the jump. After this amazing stunt, he found himself making world headlines by flamboyantly jumping in some very dangerous places. For the film 'Hanover Street' starring Harrison Ford, he doubled for Harrison and jumped 120ft at 90mph over a ravine in Shepton Mallett, Somerset, with a dummy strapped to his back!!! The director of 'Hanover Street' was quoted as saying "there was nobody else in the world capable of, or prepared to do, the leap". Even Eddie would say that he was that mad!!
Companies all over the world were eager to get this 18 year old pin up daredevil to promote their products and model their clothing. Some of the more famous commercials that he appeared in were for Levi Strauss, Sunsilk and Veida. He was even given a recording contract with Decca. Everybody seemed to want a piece of Eddie Pie!! The name Eddie Kidd became a household name and teenage girls all around the world would emblazon their bedroom walls with 'Black Knight' posters and T-shirts........ He had made it!!
He went on to perform stunts in many films and TV pragrammes including: Judge Dredd, Michael Collins, Young Indiana Jones, London's Burning, The Bill, Heartbeat, Casualty and Dempsey and Makepeace. He was also stunt double for Pierce 'Brosnan as James Bond in Goldeneye and suprisingly, he was also in First Knight!!
During all the fame and fortune years, he never forgot his true passion ands continued to make death defying jumps, always to please his fans all over the world. Right up until that cruel day on August 11th 1996 at Long Marton, Warwickshire, he lived and breathed for daredevil stunt riding and continually pushed himself to jump further and faster and thrived on the thrilling show stopping stunts that he performed to please his millions fans across the world.
After his accident, he fell into a coma for many months sustained serious injuries, including an injury to his brain. He regained consciousness but those injuries have left him confined to a wheelchair. He still manages to get around on his quad bike. Once a biker, always a biker. He spends a great deal of his time working to combat this disability. His friends are fantastic and he knows they are always there to support him and give him fresh hope and courage... He absolutely refuses to let this beat him......
