Otis Ingham is thankful to be back on his feet after suffering a life-threatening brain aneurysm in May.

The experienced sportsman’s life hung in the balance after he fell ill on the way to work one morning. He was initially admitted to King Edward Memorial Hospital and subsequently airlifted overseas to Lahey Hospital and Medical Centre in Boston for further treatment.

Ingham made his own way to the hospital but was unable to get out of his car, with medical staff rushing to his aid in the car park.

“I was heading to work that morning and had a slight headache that intensified as I was driving, so as I got in Hamilton I decided it was better to be close to the hospital,” Ingham, 59, told The Royal Gazette.

“It got worse so I parked in the hospital parking lot. My headache was thumping and I tried to go inside, but when I got out of the truck I could not take one step.

“I called my wife [Tammy] to tell her what was happening and she said ‘stay where you are and I'll call the hospital and tell them to come outside’. They came outside to me with a wheelchair and asked me if I could walk, to which the answer was no.

“They took me inside and by this time the headache was ringing. I went inside and just laid down on the bed waiting for them to come. My sons and a few people came to visit me but the next thing I knew I was waking up in Boston.

“I figured I was probably somewhere away and they said I was in Lahey Hospital and that they were going to take care of me as I’d had an aneurysm in my head which they were just able to catch in time and save my life.”

Ingham first suspected that something was wrong with his health after competing in a cycling race four days before being admitted to hospital.

“I was racing on that Sunday and after that race I came in and had a headache,” he recalled. “I didn't feel right and was telling guys at the race that my body did not feel right.”

The illness took a heavy toll on Ingham, who underwent intense treatment in Boston before being discharged in September, four months after his ordeal began.

“I had to learn how to walk again and I had to learn how to do everything all over again,” he said.

“But I knew that I was OK once the headache was gone. I knew once I pulled out of that I was good to go.”

As well as his wise decision to drive to the hospital that fateful morning and the treatment he received at home and abroad, the former star motocross rider, triathlete and cyclist, feels that his athleticism helped to save his life.

“That has definitely helped me. My athletic background deserves all the credit because I don't think I would have got through the first part if I did not have an athletic background,” he said.

Ingham has made steady progress on the road to recovery and is determined to continue his passion for sport.

“I love triathlon and cycling, and that's what I am aiming towards,” Ingham said.

“Right now I am doing walks and some inside training on my stationary bike. I have been going on little walks after work and have done a few cycles. Nothing too serious, just taking my time and I am just determined to get back to where I was.

“I just want to live and get back where I was on my bike. I just to want to get back where I was or somewhere close to where I was because I was feeling pretty fit.

“Right now I am back to square one but who knows, I might end up being better than I was.”