David Hayes, a 43-year-old from Torquay, is regaining feeling and movement in his lower body after breaking his neck in Ibiza. He sustained catastrophic injuries 15 months ago while diving into the sea with his children, hitting a sandbank.
Mr Hayes was initially told by a surgeon that he would never move anything from the neck down. He spent three weeks in a coma in an Ibiza hospital before being transferred to Plymouth's Derriford Hospital and then a specialist unit in Salisbury.
He is now able to move both of his arms and has some mobility in his core. Mr Hayes undergoes daily physiotherapy at home and regular therapy at the Salisbury Spinal Unit. His wife, Eloise, stated that stem cell therapy could potentially help with further movement and pain.
The Spinal Injuries Association noted that regaining some movement after tetraplegia is rare and depends on various individual factors. They emphasised that outcomes after spinal cord injury vary significantly and that access to specialist support is crucial.