Cricket player taught herself to walk again TWICE after breaking back years apart and losing partner

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Kath Koschel used to play professional cricket for NSW before breaking her back
'Breaking my back, being paralysed and told I wouldn’t walk again was crushing'
She met Jim who was a patient at the rehab centre and they fell in love
Unfortunately, Ms Koschel lost her partner six years ago to the day to suicide
Four years later, she was hit by a 4WD that left her paralysed and unable to walk

By Sahar Mourad For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 07:32 EST, 13 November 2018 | Updated: 08:00 EST, 13 November 2018

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A cricket player who broke her back twice and lost her partner to suicide has opened up about her struggle to walk again.

Kath Koschel played professional cricket for New South Wales before she broke her back in 2011 during a game, ending her promising career.

'Breaking my back and being paralysed and told I wouldn’t walk again was soul crushing to me,' Ms Koschel told The Project.

Kath Koschel (pictured) used to play professional cricket for New South Wales before she broke her back and ended her promising career

'Breaking my back and being paralysed and told I wouldn’t walk again was soul crushing to me,' she said

But life got better when she attended rehab and met the love of her life, Jim, a fellow patient

But life got better when she attended rehab and met the love of her life, Jim, a fellow patient.

'We grew to love each other and learned how to walk again together.'

Unfortunately, tragedy struck Ms Koschel again when she lost Jim to suicide six years ago.

'It's been six years to the day...13 November 2012, 12 months after we had been going out.

'His death left me quite distraught and not knowing what to do and who to turn to.'

Laying there in bed, with no sense of direction of what to do with her life, Ms Koschel said she decided helping others would give her a purpose.

Pictured is where Ms Koschel broke her back the first time

Laying there in bed, with no sense of direction of what to do with her life, Ms Koschel (pictured) turned to kindness, saying helping others gave her a purpose

'This time I broke my back in four places, shattered my hip, and dislocated my neck,' she said.

Ms Koschel started performing random acts of kindness to strangers and launched the kindnessfactory.com in memory of Jim.

'I think it's what the world needs...It is possible to spread as much kindness as possible and I think it should be seen as a strength and not a weakness.

'It has the potential to break down barriers all around the world.'

But tragedy struck Ms Koschel again in 2016.

While riding a training bike with two of her best friends, she was violently struck from behind by a drunk driver in a 4WD.

'This time I broke my back in four places, shattered my hip, and dislocated my neck,' she said.

'I was left wondering again what I can do when kindness came back to me.'

The accident left Ms Koschel paralysed once again.

'The mental battle of learning how to walk for a third time in my life and it was quite an intense time,' she said.

(Australia) LIFELINE: 13 11 14 www.lifeline.org.au . Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467

(UK) For confidential support, call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local branch. See www.samaritans.org for details.