Paralysed jockey Freddy Tylicki determined to stay positive
Freddy Tylicki insists "staying positive is the main thing" as he continues to rehabilitate from a fall that left him paralysed from the waist down.
Tylicki remains in the London Spinal Cord Injury Centre, in Stanmore, after he was injured in a four-horse pile-up at Kempton on October 31.
He told BBC Radio's 5 live Daily show: "You've got good days and bad days, but at the moment I'm taking every day as it comes.
"For me, that's the best way to handle the situation.
"There's always someone worse than you. You've just got to do the best you can out of the situation.
"Staying positive is the main thing. It can be hard sometimes and easier other days.
"You've just got to learn how to deal with it."
The 30-year-old sustained a T7 paralysis, which means he has movement in the upper half of his body but not his lower, when he fell from Nellie Deen in the four-horse pile-up that led to the abandonment of the meeting at Kempton.
Jockey @freddytylicki tells Adrian Chiles he has no regrets despite fall that paralysed him
— BBC Radio 5 Live (@bbc5live) February 7, 2017
🎥 https://t.co/c8eIfCOYHK #5liveDaily pic.twitter.com/H5jAyuEWIY
Tylicki admitted he has not yet seen a replay of the incident.
He said: "A few of my colleagues have watched the fall, I haven't myself.
"They were saying I'm actually very lucky to be here.
"There's no point for me to watch it. I was there, that's enough. I do remember everything.
"Unfortunately, that's racing, in a way."
Tylicki had last year been an emerging force in the weighing room, having claimed a first Group One victory aboard the James Fanshawe-trained Speedy Boarding at Deauville in the summer.
He then secured a second top-level Flat triumph when the same filly won the Prix de l'Opera on Arc weekend at Chantilly in October.
"I was born to do it," he added.
"My father was a very, very good jockey and from a very young age I decided to go down that route.
"I saw the ups and downs and the toughness of the job, but from around 12 years of age I knew I was going to be a jockey.
"On the Flat you're going at great speed so when you do get a fall it's always, 'How bad it is?', and this time I didn't get away with it.
"Accidents do happen in racing. It's a risky sport and you're aware of it as a jockey, but you don't think about it. Things can happen.
"When you've won on a few horses that absolutely took off with you - there's nothing better than that. I'm glad I've experienced that."
A GoFundMe page, established by racing presenter Matt Chapman, to raise money to help Tylicki's recovery had collected over £330,000.
Tylicki said: "The support I've been getting is tremendous and unbelievable.
"I don't quite know how to thank everyone. It's been absolutely amazing."
