·
Ryan Smith had
been in a coma for four months since the bike accident
·
Doctors told his
family he probably has brain damage and could have died
·
Boy, 16, didn't
want to wear a cycle helmet as he didn't want to ruin his quiff
·
He has woken and
said: 'Hello mum and dad' before hugging his father
·
Dad Mark said:
'It was the best hug I'd ever had, it felt incredible'
This is the moment a 16-year-old left
in a coma after being knocked off his bike, woke up after four months, spoke
for the time and hugged his father, who had been by his hospital bed every day.
Ryan Smith was badly hurt as he cycled
to work in Lincolnshire and was not wearing a helmet because he did not want to
mess up his hair.
The teenager, who doctors say requires
years of rehabilitation, has remained in hospital ever since the accident near
the seaside village of Chapel St Leonards on July 22.
His father Mark, 44, released
heartbreaking pictures at the time of the collision of him cradling his
brain-damaged son as he lay in a coma.
He has spent every day by Ryan's bed
after being told his son might not survive.
Ryan's plight even touched Match of the
Day pundit John Hartson who travelled to Pilgrim Hospital in Boston,
Lincolnshire, from London to offer his support.
On Friday his family were overjoyed as
Ryan opened his eyes and uttered the words 'Hello, Mum and Dad'.
His sister Rachael, 21, captured the
touching moment Ryan was able to put his arms around his delighted father to
give him the 'best hug he'd ever had.'
Paramedic Mark described the incredible moment Ryan woke
from his coma to embrace him for the first time in months.
He said: 'It was an unbelievable moment
- which is so hard to put into words.
'To go from being told he might not
survive to holding him in my arms was just a moment I will cherish forever.
'It was the best hug I'd ever had, it
felt incredible.
'I asked him to say hello and he took a
deep breath and said hello back.
'After jumping around for ten minutes I
composed myself and thought I'd push my luck and ask him to say dad, and he
did.
'Then mum asked for a mum and he went
and said mum.
'I have not felt so happy for so long -
Ryan is a miracle.
'It was amazing, he has movement on his
right side now too, his right arm, his right leg, his vision is good, his
hearing if fine but there is a long way to go.
'He is showing true grit and
determination and is very brave.'
Ryan will now undergo six months of
rehabilitation at The Children's Trust unit in Tadworth, Surrey.
Mark, mother Julie, 46, and sisters
Rachael and five-year-old Charlie May are hoping that within that time Ryan
will be able to walk out of the hospital.
The family are now campaigning for a
law to force cyclists to wear helmets after Ryan didn't wear one because of his
quiff.
Mr Smith added: 'Next for Ryan is rehab
and hopefully after that we can bring him home.
'We are all hoping that when he does
finally come home he will be walking, but as I said there is a long way to go
for Ryan yet.
'I just want everyone to know that they
should be lit up when riding a bike, especially during these winter months as
it is getting darker.
'I can make my four-year-old wear a
helmet but it is harder to tell an image conscious teenager what to do.
'This needs to go to Parliament
straight away but people have no excuse not to go and buy a helmet.'
Cycle helmets are not compulsory in
Britain.
Olympic champion and Tour de France
winner Sir Bradley Wiggins has also backed calls for legislation to force cyclists
to wear them on roads.
Daily Mail
No comments:
Post a Comment