# Sheffield personal trainer who overcame devastating brain injury shortlisted for national award

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/sheffield-personal-trainer-who-overcame-devastating-brain-injury-shortlisted-for-national-award/
- Published: 2026-11-05T05:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-05T05:27:25+00:00
- Original publisher: YorkshireLive Sheffield
- Original article: https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/local-news/sheffield-personal-trainer-who-overcame-34861789
- Topics: Sheffield

## Key points

- Jake Cooper is a finalist for a 2026 Headway UK award.
- He retrained as a personal trainer after a serious brain injury.
- His business supports other brain injury survivors.

## Summary

Sheffield personal trainer Jake Cooper, 31, has been shortlisted for a national Headway UK award after turning his recovery from a traumatic brain injury into work supporting other survivors. His story highlights how rehabilitation and tailored support helped him rebuild his independence and develop a career serving people with similar needs.

Cooper was 21 when a car he was travelling in crashed into a tree at 70mph in 2017. He spent seven weeks in hospital, 18 months in a wheelchair and years undergoing operations and rehabilitation; in 2024 he began retraining and qualified as a personal trainer in early 2025. Through his business, Re-Connexion, he adapts exercise and daily support to clients’ fatigue, concentration and individual needs. He is a finalist for the Alex Richardson Achiever of the Year Award, with winners due to be announced in London on 10 December 2026.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.