Tom Wright

A brain injury survivor who was left unable to work is dedicating his life to helping other survivors.

Tom Wright, volunteers at the Kings Lynn unit of Headway Norfolk and Waveney, the same group that helped him rebuild his life after a devastating motorbike crash.

The 25-year-old said: “I wanted to give something back to the local community.

“I love the selfless attitude of the clients and enjoy working alongside them.

"Volunteering has helped me regain my confidence and I enjoy life to the full and will not let anything hold me back.”

On 1 October 2012, Tom was riding his motorbike to work when he was involved in a crash with a mini bus.

The 20-year-old was airlifted to Addenbrooke’s Hospital and placed into an induced coma on life support; this was the best chance he had of surviving as he had a blood clot on the right side of his brain on his temporal lobe.

He spent six weeks at Addenbrooke’s before being transferred to the Queen Elizabeth hospital where he spent a further six weeks.

Tom was then admitted to the Colman Hospital Centre for specialist rehabilitation services in Norwich before being discharged on 30th January 2013 after spending 20 weeks there.

Tom's devastating motorcycle accident

"I was in hospital on my 21st birthday, that's meant to be the best year of your life and I spent it in hospital," he said.

During this time Tom had to learn to walk, talk and eat again.

He said: "I used to be a diagnostic technician, I used a computer to see what was wrong with cars.

I saw myself as a car, my brain was sending messages to my body, but my left side was delayed.

Tom helps a client at his local Headway

"It was very frustrating."

Tom found accepting how his brain injury had changed him was the hardest part of his recovery.

He said: "The old me died that day. The new me, the mark two version, has been born again.

"So many people with brain injuries reminisce about what they could do before.

"As soon as I accepted I couldn't do what I could previously things improved.

"I'll probably never work again."

Tom, 25, now wants to dedicate his life to helping Headway and brain injury survivors like himself.

He said: "I was a service user, I was in that dark place. I can sympathise with these people.

"They say 'I want to make a drink' and I'll show them how to do it so they can make it themselves next time.

"The look on their face, to see them smiling, that's what I want. It's wonderful to see them make a drink.

"I try to do good and be good and be as selfless as I can.

Money comes and goes but good help is hard to find, and good people are hard to find.