Man wins Pride Of Britain award after he raises £1m for charity

A man named Jamie McDonald won the Pride of Britain award for collecting more than £1m for a children's charity. He received the award for his perseverance and the spirit of adventure and is popularly known as the Adventureman.

Real-life superhero

A few years ago, he was able to save £20,000 to buy a house but decided to use the money for charity. McDonald was suffering from a rare spinal condition and couldn’t move his legs. When he was only seven, the doctor told him that he would end up in a wheelchair. But his mother motivated him which helped him conquer from his condition. 

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So, instead of buying a house, he bought a bicycle for £50 and drove it for 14,000 miles from Bangkok to Gloucester to raise money for the hospital. That was a turning point in his life. While travelling on his bicycle, he was also shot on the Afghan border, but by a stroke of luck, he survived and again resumed his quest for charity. By constantly travelling he developed a strong inclination towards endurance and adventure. He made a record of non-stop static cycling and was straight up for 12 days. He described the entire exercise as painful. 

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Later he travelled to Canada for a holiday, where he ran 5,000 miles across the country which approximately accounts for 200 marathons. He also did the same thing in the United States. His journey was full of thrill and adventure, however, danger followed behind when he dodged lions. He also took on the mantle of Adventureman.

Until taking up the new mantle, he had been running dressed as The Flash from DC comics. The costume later replaced by a costume designed by a six-year-old after he received a notice from DC. Until now, he has covered 524 miles. He is also a motivational speaker and has raised more than one million pounds for his charity and his childhood hospital. Acknowledging his never-ending efforts, he received the Pride of Britain 'Fundraiser of the Year' award at a ceremony in London.

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(With inputs from agencies)