Electrocuted window cleaner 'incredibly strong'

A window cleaner who survived a 33,000-volt shock at work faces a "massive" surgery to save both his legs.

Jason Knight, 34, from Westbury in Wiltshire, was left with severe injuries when an electrical current jumped from an overhead power cable to his cleaning pole as he was cleaning a customer's windows on 6 April.

He was airlifted to Southmead Hospital where he has remained since, undergoing at least 20 operations.

His father John Knight, 58, told BBC Radio Wiltshire his son had "loads of fight in him" and was focusing on being able to return home to his family.

"Jason is incredibly strong," Mr Knight said.

"He's stronger than me, he's stronger than a lot of people mentally.

"He's going to do everything he can, he said, to eventually get home and see his children."

Father of three Jason, who had owned his own window cleaning business for two years at the time of the incident, was "catapulted" through the air when the deadly current jumped from an overhead cable above a customer's garden.

The force of the shock was so great, imprints of his shoes were left scorched in the grass, leaving him with horrific injuries to his feet and legs.

While in hospital, his father explained, Jason had experienced allergic reactions to anaesthetic which had complicated the planned surgeries.

He is now facing one huge operation in which doctors hope to reconstruct his legs.

Jason lost his left forearm in the incident as well as a number of toes and a significant portion of both feet.

He has also lost the muscles and tendons that control the motion of his feet and lower legs.

If the upcoming surgery does not prove successful, Jason faces amputation of both legs from the knee down.

Mr Knight told Radio Wiltshire the early part of Jason's treatment had been especially difficult as the electrocution had continued to "kill the body" even after the initial shock.

"The first 14 days were terrible because we didn't know if Jason was going to live or die," he said.

"Now we know he's going to live but he's lost his left arm and they're fighting so hard at Southmead Hospital, these surgeons, to save his legs.

"We all know he will never go running again but I think he just wants that independence."

While Jason faces months of recovery in hospital, a huge community effort to support him and his family throughout his rehabilitation has sprung up.

A fundraiser to support him and two of the charities that helped save his life - Southmead Hospital Charity and Wiltshire Air Ambulance - has already raised close to £30,000.

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