Matt Rhodes
Back from the brink
Just 20-years-old, Matt Rhodes had a glittering career ahead of him in the forces. The best tank gunner in his regiment, Matt had served with NATO forces in Bosnia and was based in Germany when a motorcycle accident changed his life forever.
In 1995, three days before his 21st birthday, Matt was found unconscious in the middle of a road close to his barracks, almost 100 metres from his barely scratched bike.
Rushed to a German hospital, Matt spent four weeks under observation before being flown back to the UK for further treatment. Still in a coma, his weight dropped from twelve to five-and-a-half stone in only four weeks. At one stage his heart rate fell to just four beats-per-minute.
"The doctors said the only reason I survived was because I was so fit beforehand," said Matt, "but they still didn't hold out much hope for me. Every night they told my parents it wasn't likely I'd make it to the next morning.
"When I did wake up, physically I was paralysed down my right hand side, my balance was affected and my optic nerve was so badly damaged that I was registered blind.
"Emotionally I'd lost the ability to feel either overly happy or sad and cognitively I had problems with my short-term memory."
It took years of rehabilitation to rebuild Matt's life, but with the help of St. Dunstan's, the armed forces charity for the blind, and Headway Hurstwood Park, he slowly regained the confidence he needed to feel part of society again.
Matt moved into a new house in Brighton, specially adapted for his needs to ensure he could remain independent now, and if he ever needs a wheelchair in the future. The improvements, however, did not just end there.
Although he didn't know it at the time, it would be in the local pub across the road from his new home where he would meet the love of his life. He married Michelle in 2002 and they now have two children of their own to go with Michelle's two children from a previous marriage.
When Michelle's father fell ill in 2004, Matt felt it was time to give something back, and so began his colossal fundraising efforts, undertaking an array of incredibly tough challenges. Starting with a skydive from 12,000ft, Matt has since run the London and Brighton marathons, swum between the Brighton piers and abseiled from one of the tallest buildings in London, raising thousands of pounds for charity in the process.
Now 36, Matt's also found a new passion in life: painting. Looking at the pictures, it's hard to believe he'd never picked up a paintbrush before, let alone painted large works in such detail. He's now selling his pictures to raise more money for the charities that have helped him.
"I always felt that no matter what your disability, setting yourself personal goals is what keeps you going," said Matt. "It keeps me enjoying life."