Christian-Lee's '˜tremendous' progress after life-saving operations
Christian-Lee Thompson, 16, suffered massive head injuries after the incident on the Nickey Line in Hemel Hempstead in July last year.
After being rushed to the Royal London Hospital for life-saving skull reconstruction surgery and being in a coma for two-and-a-half weeks, the teenager now needs round-the-clock specialist care.
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His devoted parents Stephen and Lisa battled to get him a residential place at The Children’s Trust in Tadworth, Surrey, with the help of an online petition and backing of Hemel MP Mike Penning.
Since April, Christian-Lee – who had 87 stitches in his head – has undergone intensive rehabilitation therapy and gone from being unable to talk to now walking five metres with a stick.
The youngster spends Monday to Friday at the centre for children with brain injuries before going home with his family for the weekend.
Stephen and Lisa say their son is ‘a true fighter’ and has never given up despite what he has gone through.
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Stephen, who lives in Woodhall Farm, said: “He started speaking again just after Christmas – that was a really nice Christmas present.
“You can hold a conversation with him now and he’s now walking about five metres with a stick, across the room and back.
“We are so proud of him, but he has a long road ahead and we still don’t know what the long-term damage is going to be.
“He still has trouble with his left arm and his short-term memory still needs work.
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“We’ve had a hell of a fight getting him to Tadworth, and we are living every parent’s worst nightmare.”
Stephen credited the kindness and patience of Christian-Lee’s friends in his miraculous recovery, adding: “They’re round the house every weekend, about 15 of them. They have been fantastic. They’ve not treated him any differently and they take him out in his wheelchair.
“I want to thank them for supporting Christian-Lee.”
This Saturday (May 28), Christian-Lee’s older brother Bradley, 30, is holding a race night at the Greenacres Pub in Henry Wells Square to raise money for the teenager’s specialist equipment.