A 21-year-old from Maghull who was left bedbound after being diagnosed with glioblastoma left his personal trainer 'in tears' after walking into the gym.
Owen Copland couldn't lift his arms just two months ago, that was before Alex Ivanoff, owner of Anytime Fitness in Maghull and Southport, got involved.
With the help of Alex and his talented team of personal trainers they have managed to help Owen, a former drama student, get to the point where he can go for days out and is now improving both physically and mentally.
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On Monday September 20 Owen showed Alex, a former marine and bodyguard, how far he had come along when he arrived at the gym in Maghull with Alex's green beret.
The 40-year-old had entrusted Owen with the beret, Alex's most prized possession, with the promise that he would hand deliver it back to him when he was well enough.
Jane Copland, Owen's sister, told the ECHO : "My mum has been saying constantly, that Alex stepping in when he did and giving us that boost is the reason Owen has had the chance to get out and have a normal life.
"With this diagnosis you don't always get that chance so we're just so emotional.
"To be able to go in the other day and hand back his green beret and seeing Owen be like 'I can't walk yet but I can hand it to you'. It was a lot, and to see how much Alex cares about Owen as well, it's so nice."
Alex Ivanoff opened the gym in Maghull in 2018 after being medically discharged from the marines with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
He is now determined on helping Owen progress.
He told the ECHO: "I burst into tears when he came in and gave me my beret. That beret is my prized possession. When I gave it to him I said 'listen, this is the most important thing I've got and I want it back.'
"He looked me dead in the eyes and said 'yeah, you can have it' but I also told him the only time I'll take it off him is if he comes into the gym and gives it to me, and he did! I'm so proud of him."
Alex has been left buzzing over Owen's transformation, with him keeping Owen mentally as well as physically active, it has changed Owen's life in just two months.
Alex said: "He couldn't move his arms. Now you see him sitting up outside, feeding himself, writing, I play chess with him, we're keeping his brain active. Now, instead of looking at the ceiling waiting to go, he's now focusing on something else.
"It's given him life force. It's beautiful to see what the power of positivity can do, and the power of support as well as having a purpose again."
The gym owner is now looking to raise money for Owen and his family.
Alex is set to do a 24 hour walk on a treadmill in one of his gyms with the aim to raise as much money to help Owen enjoy a weekend away or a few days out.
Alex told the ECHO: "I'm going to do a 24 hour march on one of my treadmills and put big yellow balloons on the treadmill for Owen. I'm going to leave the doors open for people to come in and donate, I've also set up a GoFundMe page as well.
"All I want to do is raise as much money as I can so they can take Owen to do something nice. Maybe a weekend in a supported environment and then his mum and sister can have a break as well because their lives are on hold as well.
"They're dedicating their lives to Owen so I want to give something back to them as well. If he can't move, I'll move for them. I'm going to raise some money for them and they can do whatever they want with it.
"They can get some treatment, they can go on a break, they could get a wheelchair, or even a car to get him around for days out. I'm aiming for October 11."
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