Portrait: James
James shouldn't even be alive, let alone be able to walk and talk, after an accident in a Paris hotel left his brain so crushed that doctors were forced to remove part of his skull and store it in his abdomen to keep the bone marrow healthy.
A little bit about James
In December 2002, James Heather fell 18ft head-first onto a marble floor. Doctors feared he would die and then never walk or talk again but James has managed to rebuild his life by learning to do everything again.
A walking miracle
James shouldn't even be alive, let alone be able to walk and talk, after an accident in a Paris hotel left his brain so crushed that doctors were forced to remove part of his skull and store it in his abdomen to keep the bone marrow healthy. His skull was removed to ease swelling on his brain. He was in a coma for six weeks and didn't leave France until his skull was reattached.
My parents were preparing for the worst. The doctors told them I might not make it through the night and then that I'd never leave a wheelchair.
The recovery phase
Through sheer determination and defiance of medical opinion, James has rebuilt his life.
After the months in hospital in Paris, he spent 3 months in Charing Cross hospital, then there was nearly a year in Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow and the Haberdashers House at the Royal Hospital of Neuro Disability in Putney, before he finally returned home in June 2004.
His progress since then has been relentless and truly inspirational. In January 2011, hours of rehabilitation have allowed him to walk almost normally, and, while his speech is quiet but understandable, and his memory slightly erratic, he is able to hold good conversation and is almost totally independent.
And when I did wake up, I was basically a baby again, I had to learn to do everything again.
What helped James during recovery
James unwavering determination to live the second half of his existence as a better person is extraordinary. There is no place for bitterness or regrets.
I don't miss what I had because I'm not trying to be that person anymore. I've just got a lust for life again because I was so close to losing it.
Where is James now
Through sheer determination and defiance of medical opinion, James has rebuilt his life. His quest to improve will not stop and he refuses to put a limit on what he can achieve.
I remember taking my first steps: I stumbled like I was drunk and only walked about three meters, but it was an amazing feeling and ever since then I've thought the sky is the limit.
There are a lot of things I want to improve on – I can't really crack jokes because I can't talk quickly enough and I'd like to be able to carry things with my right hand while I'm walking, especially on the stairs, and to drink while I'm on the move. Also, it's difficult for me to talk in a group when there is background noise.
James has helped lobby more than 270 firms to improve access for the disabled in Fulham alone.
Words of encouragement
My outlook is simple. Be positive. Don’t stress. Live life, the one you’ve been given or the one you got in exchange, and to the full. Because… spoiler alert… it could be taken away from you tomorrow.
I am grateful beyond words to my family and friends, to the doctors in Paris who saved my life, and for the help and support I received at all the various facilities who enabled my recovery, because they gave me HOPE and I’ve learnt to respect myself, and because of this I have started to share my story by giving talks and lectures.
A quote that James likes
If you work at it there's always hope.