Richard Branson: ‘My brush with death’, Virgin boss pens candid blog post

Anthony Colangelo
Aug 27, 2016, updated Aug 27, 2016

Branson manages to hold someone's hand and give a thumbs up, after his crash. Photo: Virgin

British billionaire and thrill seeker Richard Branson has had a dramatic brush with death after crashing his bicycle going down a hill at high speed.

On Saturday (AEST), Mr Branson revealed he had endured a high speed crash in pitch black, writing in a blog post that: “I really thought I was going to die”.

The Virgin boss said that the accident happened while cycling with his children, Holly and Sam. He said he hit a bump on a road on the Caribbean island of Virgin Gorda.

“The next thing I knew, I was being hurled over the handlebars and my life was literally flashing before my eyes,” the 66-year-old wrote.

His bike fell off a cliff during the accident and Branson claimed his helmet had most likely saved his life.

“I went flying head-first towards the concrete road, but fortunately my shoulder and cheek took the brunt of the impact,” Branson wrote.

“My bike went flying off the cliff and disappeared. We’ve since recovered the crumpled bicycle, completely destroyed. My cheek has been badly damaged and my knee, chin, shoulder and body severely cut.”

Branson said he would still be able to take part next month in the biking, hiking and running Virgin Strive Challenge that he was training for.

Branson looked worse for wear after the crash. Photo: Virgin

“As I landed, once I realised I was alive, I began testing my movement. I really couldn’t believe I was alive, let alone not paralysed.

“My attitude has always been, if you fall flat on your face, at least you’re moving forward. All you have to do is get back up and try again. At least I’m practicing what I preach – though a little too literally!”

Branson has set a series of records in aviation and nautical pursuits. However he failed to become the first person to circumnavigate the globe in a balloon, more than once.

These exploits brought Mr Branson close to tragedy in 1998 when he and his co-pilot had to ditch their balloon in the Pacific Ocean after low pressure forced the craft down.