Episode details

World Service,30 Jan 2023,40 mins

Walking away from the crash that killed my friends

Outlook

Available for over a year

In 2009, aged 17, Lech Blaine and six school friends got into a car for a short ride home. Within minutes, they were in a fatal collision. Three of his friends died, two were brain-damaged, the driver had broken bones. Only Lech came out of it without a scratch. Within hours, he found himself at the centre of a national news story and social media speculation. Traumatised by the event, he felt guilty, numb and lucky; he may have been physically okay, but the psychological scars would take many years to heal. Lech's now a writer. His book about the accident and his recovery is called Car Crash. Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Katy Takatsuki (Photo: Lech Blaine. Credit: James Brickwood)

Programme Website
More episodes