Brit skier, 28, is left paralysed after struggling horrific fall throughout bounce off ramp in French ski resort

A British man has been left paralysed after suffering a horror skiing accident at a French ski resort. 

Konstantinos Karatziolas, 28, suffered a dislocated back and broken sternum when he flung off a ski ramp on January 29 whilst on a skiing trip with his parents in Les Arcs, France.

He lost feeling from his second top rib and severely damaged his spinal cord, which has left his legs paralysed.

The keen skier, who works in insurance, is now crowdfunding on GoFundMe to raise money for his rehabilitation to hopefully walk again.

Konstantinos, from Essex, but who is living in Manchester, said: ‘When I hit the ground and was lying there on the floor, I knew something was wrong.

‘I was incredibly frightened. I was told the day after the accident, I would most likely never walk again.

‘I hadn’t severed the spinal cord, but doctors said due to the extent of the injuries, they said it is close to zero per cent chance I would get my mobility back.

‘But I have to stay positive just in case I am one day able to walk again.’

Konstantinos Karatziolas, 28, (pictured) suffered a dislocated back and broken sternum when he flung off a ski ramp on January 29

The young man lost feeling from his second top rib and severely damaged his spinal cord, which has left his legs paralysed

The keen skier, who works in insurance, is now crowdfunding on GoFundMe to raise money for his rehabilitation to hopefully walk again

Konstantinos was staying with his mum Ruth, 63 and stepdad Paul Harvey, 63, in Bourg-Saint-Maurice for a week skiing holiday on the slopes of Les Arcs from January 26.

He had been skiing for 16 years and had been on previous trips to Austria and Italy.

Konstantinos had just finished a day on the slopes when before returning home he when he decided to go to the ski park section.

The skier told he performed multiple jumps fine but on the last ramp he decided to hit, he overestimated the height of the ramp and his speed causing him to fly four metres into the air.

He then lost control and spun before crashing down into the hard snow below onto his shoulders.

Konstantinos said: ‘I saw my mum and stepdad running over to me, and I told them I had screwed my life up.

‘I realised I couldn’t move my legs and began to panic. My mum and stepdad were previously paramedics and were great at calming me down and making sure I didn’t move.

‘The mountain ambulance then came and told me to get to a happy place to help deal with the pain. I was then given painkillers and loaded into a helicopter and flown to the hospital.’

Though he performed multiple jumps fine, on the last ramp he decided to hit, he overestimated the height of the ramp and his speed causing him to fly four metres into the air

Konstantinos was staying with his mum Ruth, 63, and stepdad Paul Harvey, 63, (pictured, left) in Bourg-Saint-Maurice for a week skiing holiday on the slopes of Les Arcs from January 26.

The keen skier was taken to Grenoble Hospital in France, where he underwent emergency spine surgery.

His back was fitted with eight screws and two metal rods. to suffered his back after dislocating his T9 vertebra.

He also broke his sternum in his chest.

Konstantinos was repatriated to Manchester on February 17 and is currently in Salford Royal Hospital recovering from the surgery and getting used to his life as a paraplegic.

It took 14 hours and several flights and ambulances to get him back to the UK.

He said: ‘I’m trying to be positive. I have joked about now becoming a Paralympian with family.

‘It is just something I’m going to have to live with. I have accepted that I may never walk again, but I will try my best to one day.’

He has also stressed the importance of ‘reading the safety information in the snow park, knowing your limits, and not getting carried away’ to reduce the chance of injury.

Konstantinos’ partner, Kirstin Lowe, 26, said: ‘I was heartbroken when his parents called me and explained what had happened.

‘He is a mentally and physically strong person, and I am very proud of how he is recovering so far.’