After a 2019 skiing accident threatened to keep him off his feet forever, WSAR hero David Nel defied the odds, bravely tackling and finishing the 2026 Two Oceans Marathon this past Saturday!
Cape Town, South Africa (13 April 2026) – Among the thousands of athletes who crossed the finish line of the 2026 Two Oceans Marathon was a local hero who was told he’d never run again.
In 2019, while training for the Two Oceans Marathon, a skiing accident changed everything for the longstanding Wilderness Search And Rescue (WSAR) volunteer, David Nel.
“My world suddenly shrank to the size of a hospital room, followed by surgery and a haunting uncertainty. There were no guarantees and certainly no promises that running, or hiking, would ever be part of my life again,” he shares vulnerably.
Seven years have passed since that fall. On Saturday, David finally stood at the starting line he once feared he may never reach again. It had been eight years since he last ran the Two Oceans and Comrades Marathons.
This race represented his first significant step back into that world, a world that once felt impossibly far away.
“Recovery turned out to be the hardest road I’ve travelled. It wasn’t a straight line. It was stubbornly long, filled with setbacks, frustration and moments where progress felt invisible. It demanded a level of patience I didn’t know I possessed.”
Through his work with WSAR as both an active rescue team member and head of WSAR’s PR Committee, David has seen firsthand how quickly an ordinary day outdoors can become a life-changing event. However, in the same breath, he’s also witnessed the quiet resilience of the people he helps – the incredible determination to rebuild, step by step, long after the rescue is over.
“Their recoveries became my inspiration and my blueprint. For years, I’ve been working my way back – methodical, kilometre by careful kilometre – cheered on every step of the way by my amazing family,” he says.
Participating in the Two Oceans was about far more than running a race. On Saturday, David ran for the version of himself who once lay in a hospital bed, alone, feeling cut off from everything and wondering what the future held.
“I ran for those who are currently in that uncertain space between injury and recovery – feeling isolated, impatient, exhausted, or doubtful. I ran for those still fighting through their own stubbornly long roads back. I ran because I could. And I ran for those who no longer can.”
For David, the longest road has been the one that has brought him back to himself with the support of a community.
“As part of the WSAR family, I’m reminded every day that caring for our community starts with each of us. If you see someone in trouble, stop. Check in. Call for help early. Those small decisions can change a life.”
A huge congratulations to you, David – for defying the odds, running your own race with such heart and inspiring us all!
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