THEY say money can’t buy you happiness.
For multi-millionaire businessman Dai Walters, it brought him all he ever wanted in top class racehorses and his family set up for life.
Walters and Thomas miraculously survived this horrific helicopter crash – now they hope their wonderhorse can win them the Grand National
The multi-millionaire businessman is lucky to be alive after breaking his neck, back and eight ribs in the terrifying smash
But for all the cash in his bank account, it is his incredible heart and fighter spirit that means he is still alive today.
Walters, 77, miraculously survived a helicopter crash, Covid, sepsis and pneumonia.
Not to mention a broken neck and back, eight smashed ribs plus a battered sternum and heel.
His reward for his bravery and resilience is a shot at winning the Grand National.
Noble Yeats’ 50-1 win under jockey Sam Waley-Cohen in his last ever ride was a fairytale ending 12 months ago.
Walters’ unbelievable story might just top it.
The Welsh construction titan was in a helicopter with trainer Sam Thomas when it careered out of control seconds after taking off last November.
All five on board crashed to the ground in thick woodland near Ruthin in Wales.
Witnesses described seeing something like a scene from a disaster movie and Walter was rushed to intensive care at Glan Clwyd hospital in Rhyl.
Surrounded by his family, Walters still needs intense physio every day now, but at least he is back home and excited to see 20-1 Our Power run in the world’s most famous race.
Recalling the horror moment his life nearly ended, Walters told The Telegraph: “All I can remember is that we were in the helicopter less than 30 seconds.
“I could see it coming towards the trees and I was saying ‘keep it up, keep it up.’ Then we hit a tree. It landed on its backend.
“There were four lads under 40 with families in there and I was terrified it would catch fire.
“They all had to crawl over me to get out.”
Walters said he was ‘out of it’ for seven weeks while he lay in a hospital bed, his family fearing the worst.
He added: “They didn’t think I’d pull through, they said not many would have survived pneumonia, Covid and sepsis.”
But he did. Now he and Thomas, who said he was ‘crippled’ in the aftermath, are plotting a victory for the ages.
Our Power has run just twice this season but picked up to two big Grade 3 prizes at Ascot and Kempton worth a combined £140,000.
There is no denying Our Power has been a massive money earner with more than £225,000 made in 28 races.
And the £500,000 for winning the National would trump everything else.
But for Walters, just being alive to see his horse run, is surely a gift money can’t buy.
