Naman Shrestha
On July 7, 2005, London became the epicenter of one of the most horrific terrorist attacks as devastating bombs were detonated in four separate sites across the city. The entire ordeal and the manhunt that ensued are explored in a detailed manner in Netflix’s ‘Attack on London: Hunting the 7/7 Bombers,’ a four-part documentary series. While dozens of innocents lost their lives in the tragedy, there were some survivors as well. One of them was Daniel “Dan” Biddle, who is considered one of the “worst-injured survivors” of the 7/7 London bombings.
On the fateful day, Dan was on the Edgware Road tube train, where he reportedly stood right next to Mohammad Sidique Khan, one of the bombers. After the explosion, he somehow managed to survive through three cardiac arrests, a collapsed lung, multiple internal injuries, and MRSA. He also lost both his legs, his spleen, and an eye, due to the bombing. He spent nearly a year in the hospital, during which he spent eight weeks in a coma and 12 weeks in intensive care. He makes an appearance in the documentary series, recounting his survival story in depth.
Dan Biddle is a Disability Law Expert and Motivational Speaker Today
Dan Biddle didn’t let the traumatic face-to-face encounter with the terrorist attack come between his ambitions. Having graduated from Barking & Dagenham College, he continued his studies by pursuing a CIOB Diploma in Construction Management from the Chartered Institute of Building. Several years later, he also studied Law at the Open University and HR Management at the Open Education Academy. In early 2024, he earned an Associate’s degree in HR Management from the European Institute of Leadership and Management. Although in a few years following the tragic bombings, Dan had no trouble finding employment, he later struggled to land a job for himself, despite being qualified.
This led him to fight for disability equality and inclusion, something he continues to focus on to this day. In fact, in 2022, he established The National Diversity Employment and Advisory Service Ltd., which supports neurodivergent young people and adults into employment. Besides being the CEO of the organization, he is also a disability law expert and motivational speaker. Being the latter, he shares his survival story with others, which works as a fuel for others to get motivated. His speeches mostly focus on subject matters related to equality and diversity, embracing change, determination, overcoming adversity, and communication in business. With the 20th anniversary of the tragedy approaching in July 2025, he has been urging the government to launch a full public inquiry and give all the victims justice.
In Gem’s Love, Dan Found the Strength to Carry On
It has been nearly two decades since the bombings, but Dan Biddle continues to battle complex PTSD, hallucinations of the bomber’s face, severe anxiety, OCD, and survivor’s guilt, which have admittedly affected his relationships. Back in 2006, he was engaged to Lisa Flint, whom he went on to marry in 2007. The two even share a son, Nathan Adrian Biddle — Dan chose the middle name Adrian to honor Adrian Heili, a fellow passenger who saved his life during the bombing. Reportedly, his marriage to Lisa didn’t last, and the two went their separate ways. While the details regarding their separation have been kept private, we believe that it obviously affected Dan. Nevertheless, he eventually gave love another chance, which led him to his now-wife of over 10 years, Gem Biddle.
It all started in 2013 when Dan liked one of Gem’s Facebook posts, following which they began texting regularly. They also started talking on calls, during which he opened up about his experiences and the trauma that came with them. He was surprised when she understood his situation and still wanted to be there for him. A few months later, they met for the first time and began dating. Just a couple of months into their relationship, Dan ghosted her, believing that he was toxic for her.
Thinking that he didn’t deserve her, he believed it was better that he take his own life. At the time, he admitted to feeling guilty for surviving 7/7 and wished that it had killed him. In the course of the next few months, he tried to die by suicide multiple times but had a change of heart in the end. Eventually, he reached out to Gem and opened up about everything, which turned out to be the best decision of his life. After learning about it all, she taught herself about complex PTSD and even went to Edware Road, where the tragedy transpired. Since then, she has been a constant pillar of support and strength for him in his path to getting better.
Dan and Gem Continue to Choose Each Other Every Day
In June 2015, Dan and Gem made their union official by tying the knot and celebrating their love in the presence of their family and friends. Months before they were married, they had moved into a beautiful place in Abergavenny in Monmouthshire, Wales. Over the years, the two have built a comfortable life for themselves, facing all of life’s ups and downs with unwavering love and support for one another. However, a grave trouble knocked on the pair’s door in the 9th year of their marriage in 2024. By the time the month of May rolled around, dark thoughts began clouding Dan’s conscience, making him believe his wife deserved a life free from his presence. The situation got so dire that he had laid the bricks to surrender to his illness. However, a split-second thought about its impact on Gem made him backtrack. When Dan realized his decision would rip Gem’s heart apart and leave her devastated, he stopped in his tracks, went over to her, and confessed.
Acknowledging his challenging situation, she expressed gratitude towards him for being open with her about it and not actually acting upon his plan. It is only through unconditional love, trust, transparency, and a genuine desire to be with each other that the two have managed to face all the adversities head-on. They still have bad days, but they know that they are strong enough to overcome any difficulty. Whether busy with work or simply sharing space, Dan and Gem continue to thrive in each other’s company. In an interview with Mirror UK, Dan opened up about his struggle and expressed just how much Gem means to him. “I wouldn’t be here without Gem. I suffer pain, 24/7, physical and emotional pain. But even with all of that, to have the life that I’ve got with Gem, I wouldn’t change what I’ve been through.” At the same time, Gem echoes Dan’s sentiments. She admires the fact that he is very respectful, not judgmental, and serves as her “rock” and safety net.
She stated, “It takes a lot of getting used to but I’m glad I stuck it out. I’ve found out what true love is like. The Facebook request was a complete mistake but it was the best mistake I’ve ever made.” There have been times when Dan had asked her why she continues to choose him despite his mental trauma, to which Gem candidly admitted that they are so deeply bonded that his condition doesn’t hamper the love she has for him, not one iota. The two are madly in love with each other, and their respective parents have embraced their relationship, and that’s all they need. Both Gem and Dan are well aware of what life holds for them, and they wouldn’t trade it for anything. In fact, Gem stated that she cut ties with a relative who objected to their connection, with no regrets. In June 2025, the pair marked a huge milestone with their 10th anniversary. Thus, from what we can tell, Dan and Gem continue to find comfort and stability in the life they’ve created in Abergavenny, Wales.
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