A father of two from Bristol who sustained catastrophic injuries in a DIY fall at home in January remains hospitalized months later. Scott Blankley, a 47-year-old experienced construction worker, was painting an external wall for a loft conversion when he fell three storeys from a ladder.
Severe Injuries
The fall resulted in 11 broken ribs, a fractured collarbone, several broken vertebrae, a brain bleed, and damage to his lung and kidney. Scott was rushed to Southmead Hospital in Bristol, where part of his skull was removed to allow doctors to assess the brain bleed. He had to relearn how to walk, talk, and even swallow.
Family Support and Fundraising
Scott’s brother, Kai Blankley, and the wider family are raising funds to support Scott and his young family during his long recovery. Kai said: “If you know my brother Scott, he is family first. It starts with Jo, his lifelong partner, and their two incredible kids, Annabel and Finn. They are his world, his centre of gravity, and the reason he’d move mountains without a second thought.”
Kai added: “Scott is still fighting. A fall that would have killed many has become, for him, another mountain to climb: a bleed on the brain, eleven broken ribs, a collarbone, shoulder blade, several thoracic vertebrae, a lung, a kidney—most people wouldn’t come back from that. But Scott isn’t most people. His job now is to keep fighting his way back to Jo, Annabel and Finn. And our job—his family, the people who love him—is to rally together and raise the funds needed to support them.”
The next fundraiser is the Bristol Triathlon in July. A GoFundMe page has been set up for donations.
Progress and Challenges
Scott spent his first week in the intensive care unit before being moved to a neurology ward and then a rehabilitation centre. He was initially on life support and fed through a tube, but now breathes independently and eats soft foods. Kai noted: “We’re definitely getting to see gradual progress. He’s making remarkable physical recovery progress, but there are highs and lows. His nine-year-old son Finn has only recently started visiting, while his 11-year-old daughter Annabel has been visiting regularly.”
Awareness Campaign by No Falls Foundation
The No Falls Foundation is working with Scott’s family to raise awareness about the dangers of falls from height. Hannah Williams, charity manager, said: “Many people may think a fall from height results in just a broken limb, but the reality is much more severe. As well as often life-changing injuries, individuals often struggle with mental health issues like PTSD, anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders. Beyond the physical pain, there can be a devastating loss of income, and some are never able to return to work. The ripple effect is huge; it isn’t just the person who falls—it affects their partners, children, and wider family.”
Peter Bennett OBE, Chair of the No Falls Foundation, added: “Our hearts go out to Scott and his family; his journey highlights just how fragile life can be when we leave the ground. Scott is a survivor, but he is also a reminder of the thousands of near-misses that happen behind closed doors and never make the official statistics. We want to change the culture so that people don’t feel they can ‘just’ get the job done at the risk of their lives. Taking a few minutes to assess a risk isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s the difference between a normal day and a tragedy.”
Falls from height are the number one accidental killer in the workplace, with 35 fatal accidents recorded in 2024/25.
