I absolutely loved my job and saw the world with the army and reached the rank of staff sergeant.     

I started losing the sight in my right eye during a seven-month tour of duty in Bosnia around February 1997 but I didn’t tell anyone because I’m a bit of a bloke and thought to myself it would get better in the morning.

It didn’t but I kept it to myself because I thought it my jeopardise my job and riding bikes if I reported it. And anyway I could still see out of my left eye perfectly well so I carried on as if nothing had happened. 

But of course my wife Karen, who is also 43, noticed something was wrong even though I was hiding it from her.

She was worried about how it would affect our family if I lost my job – and of course about my health. We’ve got three children, Julie-Anne 22, Ben, 20 and Robert 16 and we decided I should get checked out.

The army doctor said I had an inflammation of the optic nerve on my right eye. They didn’t know what had caused it and I was put on light duties while they monitored me.

I was terrified and scared beyond belief at not being able to be a proper husband to my wife and father to my kids.

One day I was working at the base I was stationed at in Tidworth, Hampshire, in August 1997, ironically changing the rear tyre of a motorcycle, when I applied a bit of pressure and my left eye went bang – I lost the site in that one too. I was totally blind. The lights went out. But after a couple of minutes my vision returned slightly.

I was still in denial and reported in sick – without going into detail - and cycled the half a mile home with barely any site. Mad really!

I still tried to hide it from Karen but when I made her a cup of coffee the following morning and she got a cup of hot milky water with the spoon in upside down she turned to me and said: ‘Sweetheart, there is something wrong with you isn’t there?’

I burst into tears and I said: ‘Yes, I’ve lost my site. I can’t see anymore, luv. I’m blind.’

It was Sunday September 1st, 1997, the same day that Princess Diana died.

For a long time I was a very angry man. The doctor didn’t really understand why other than to say during my time in Bosnia I had got an infection or virus in my eye, probably via my hands from something I had been handling.

‘Why me I,’ kept saying and became very depressed and had suicidal thoughts. I was on an army pension but I put Karen through hell. I had a shotgun and thought about using it. It was the thought of what that would do to Karen and the kids that stopped me.

In 2000 Karen found out about St Dunstan’s a charity for blind ex-servicemen and it changed my life, just like it did for Kevin later on.

I realised I could carry on with life and they gave me back the will to live and hope for the future. I ran the London marathon in 2001 and became fit again in mind and body.

But for me to feel like the real me again I had to get back on a motorcycle. In the six years since I lost my vision I never stopped thinking about it.

In early 2002 I rang up my friend Graham Footer, the team manager for The Flying Gunners, the Royal Artillery Motorcycle Display team.

Because he knows me he didn’t put the phone down and call me a mad man. Instead he invited me down to Woolwich in London and put me on one of the team display bikes with a pillion to tell me which way to go and I rode under perfect control around the car park.

It felt brilliant. Getting back on that motorcycle made me feel alive again. It gave me my pride back and my sense of purpose. I was so pleased with myself. It was exhilarating. That moment meant everything to me.

The next day I rode at 100 miles per hour at a motorcycle school with a friend of mine called Gaz Gower who had the courage to sit on the back shouting instructions to me.

Shortly after that I became Gaz’s stunt pillion in his stunt motorcycle act. I still do it and ride on his shoulders, lay across the tank and sit backwards on the bike.

Then one night over a couple of beers Gaz said I should go for the blind land speed record for blind motorcycling.

‘Bring it on,’ I said and St Dunstan’s backed me up and the Flying Gunners trained me up as long as I promised I would join The Flying Gunners team. I jumped at the chance. They are one of the best motorcycle display teams in the world.

Later that year in August 2002 I smashed the world record – which was 78 miles per hour – by going at 164.87 mph at Boscom Down runway in Wiltshire on a 1200cc Kawasaki Ninja – that was one of the most powerful super bikes in the world at the time.

Riding the bike was simple. The problem was my guides being able to communicate with me through an ear piece. But everything went perfectly.

I became a biker again as well as a human being that day. My whole persona in life was returned to me because I had forgotten I couldn’t see. My wife got her husband back and my kids got their father back.

Karen worries to death about me doing these crazy things. But she says I would be like a caged animal if I couldn’t and she knows it has brought me back to life. My nickname is Billy The Whizz after the comic character and I have that on my helmet.

Later this year (2007) I am planning on a setting a blind solo lap record at the Mallory Park racing track.

I do a lot of motivational speaking now at after dinner shows, schools women’s groups, soldier and corporations. I’m getting into acting as well.

But I would not be doing what I’m doing now had I not married Karen. My wife is my driving force. If she had not been there for me when I lost my sight I would not be here now. I would be dead. Together we’ve turned the bad times into good times and I have so much to live for.

My daughter Julie-Anne recently had a little girl and I am a grandfather.

If you’ve got a passion in life and good partner, the world is your oyster.

Comments (6) >>

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written by Melinda, January 13, 2008

what a character and a star - a real inspiration x

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written by Charlotte, January 12, 2008

I am in a pantomime,Cinderella. Billy is the Baron,I am a white mouse and i'm on stage next to him most of th time. He is a great actor!

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written by karen, January 11, 2008

Last night I saw Billy in a panto....i have to say what a performance Billy, you were absolutely brilliant..keep it up x

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written by Tel, November 14, 2007

I have always wondered what happened to my mate Billy.now I know.
keep it up mate.

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written by vikii, November 13, 2007

today Billy Baxter came into my school and I didn't even know who he was. Know that I read this article I would have liked to ask him a ton of questions. Oh well (:

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written by Damian Gussow, September 22, 2007

I`m writing this the evening before Donnington and "Googled" Billy Baxter. I`m
glad I did what a wonderful story only after much pain and suffering but such strength and determination can only be applauded.I will definitely be cheering you tommorrow.Good luck on your ride round donny and all the best for
the future

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