A young man who was paralysed in a road crash insists there is hope after a spinal injury and is happy to be “starting a new life now”.
Steven Simmons was returning from a festival last summer when his future was turned upside down.
Now a resident of Clarinbridge Care Centre in Co Galway, the 25-year-old told RTE’s Ryan Tubridy Show going home “would be like winning the lottery”.
He said: “At first I was down about it and thinking, ‘How am I going to come back from this?’
“But I don’t know, the support I had from family and friends and carers, they just pulled me through.
“There is life after a spinal injury. When I went to the NRH, I had a psychiatrist called Maeve. She was brilliant, she said I was just so positive I didn’t need counselling. I took it well.”
Steven’s courage was a source of inspiration to listeners of the RTE Radio 1 show who rang in to congratulate him on his positivity and his determination to get home and lead a normal life again.
Stephen added: “My old life is dead but I’m starting a new life now that I’m happy to start.
“The support around me, I can never thank them all enough, they have done so much for me.”
Due to coronavirus restrictions, he is only allowed four visitors a week but looks forward to seeing his nanny Brigid most.
Steven told how he is hoping to return home to Roscrea, Co Tipperary, once enough money can be gathered to build an extension with necessary modification.
A GoFundMe page has been set up by his family and friends and the total currently stands at just over €46,000, with more than 1,000 donations to the account since Steven’s interview on the Ryan Tubridy Show.
The home modifications bill will come to €82,000.
Talking about his fundraising efforts, he admitted: “It’s a struggle.”
Last week, Steven started a 100-mile challenge on a hand bike for The Mater Hospital, and managed to raise more than €1,200.
He said: “I just wanted to give back to The Mater because they saved my life.”
- If you would like to help Steven realise his dream of going home visit his gofundme.com page.
