Jaden's story

When Jaden Payne was 14, his life changed in an instant. A car accident left him with a traumatic brain injury, and for a moment, his family feared they might lose him. But Jaden’s story is not one of tragedy - it’s one of resilience, faith and the unwavering support of a community that refused to let him fall.

In 2017, Jaden, from Birmingham, was returning from a cultural event when he was tragically involved in a car accident. Suzanne Dottin-Payne, Jaden’s mother, describes the harrowing day.

“The police turned up at our house asking those immortal questions: Are you the parents of Jaden Payne?” Suzanne shouted, “is he dead?’ and his father said, “is he stabbed?”

He was rushed to Birmingham Children’s Hospital, where doctors discovered a blood clot on his brain. Suzanne recalls the moment:

Jaden underwent a gruelling four-and-a-half-hour surgery in order to remove the blood clot. Suzanne said: “I cried for four-and-a-half hours when they took him down to have the operation. My husband could only say, ‘Stop crying, stop crying.’ He couldn’t take it.”

He spent six weeks in hospital, including 13 days in an induced coma. His parents never left his bedside. Suzanne only went home twice,” his mum said. “We were there 24/7.”

Jaden’s recovery was slow and painful. He returned home in a wheelchair, unable to walk, with significant cognitive and physical impairments. He had to relearn basic tasks and adapt to his new life with neuro fatigue, short-term memory loss, balance and coordination impairments. and partial vision loss.

But Jaden was determined. With intensive physiotherapy and the support of his family, he began to rebuild. “He was never going to be a victim,” his mother said. “He was never going to be a statistic.”

Jaden’s school at the time, Wheelers Lane Technology College, played a pivotal role in his recovery. Teachers visited him in hospital, classmates came in rotating groups to lift his spirits, and the school made extensive accommodations to support his return - including relocating his classes to the ground floor and assigning a peer to assist him.

After his brain injury, Jaden was still keen to attend his school’s football trip to Barcelona, a trip that had already been paid for before the accident. Some of his first words after waking from his coma were: “Am I going to Barcelona, mum?”

Initially, Suzanne wasn’t sure it would be possible. But during a multidisciplinary team (MDT) meeting, Jaden’s neurologist asked him what he wanted to do. Jaden replied:
“I want to go to my school sports day and run the 100 metres. And I want to go to Barcelona.”

The neurologist turned to the school staff and said: “Sort out Barcelona. He can go, as long as a parent is with him.”

And so, Jaden went, accompanied by his mum, who pushed his wheelchair and supported him throughout the trip. Though he couldn’t play football, the teachers arranged a special moment for him. In the first match, Jaden was allowed to start the game by kicking the ball to a teammate before running off the pitch. The Spanish players and referees applauded him.
“They all stood still and applauded. I’ve got it on video. It was emotional.”

The school community had even paid for his mum’s ticket through a non-uniform day fundraiser.

With the help of the charity, Child Brain Injury Trust (CBIT) and his Sickle Cell nurse Jaden returned to school just months after the accident. Despite missing his mock exams and attending part-time, he completed nine GCSEs and passed them all.

Inspired by the care he received, Jaden set his sights on becoming a physiotherapist. He earned top marks at college and was accepted to study Sport Rehabilitation at St Mary’s University in London.

However, his journey wasn’t without setbacks. The pandemic forced him to take a leave of absence, during his first year, just a few weeks into the course. He experienced neuro fatigue and unfortunately, failed an assessment. Despite this, in July 2025, Jaden graduated with a 2:1 in Sport Rehabilitation, all whilst rocking a custom-made sash that read 'Sickle Cell Warrior' and 'ABI Survivor.',

Jaden is also a Para athlete, classified as T38 for the 100m sprint, with a personal best of 15.18 seconds. He dreams of competing in the LA 2028 Paralympics.

In recognition of his incredible journey, Jaden was nominated for the 2025 Community Inspiration Awards - and won. Out of more than 1,000 nominees across 15 categories, Jaden was shortlisted as one of three finalists for the Education Achievement Award, which honours students who have demonstrated exceptional progress and academic success in the face of adversity.

Now 23, Jaden has started his own business, JMP Consultancy, where he offers mobile sports massage, public speaking, and acquired brain injury research consultancy and he continues to advocate for sickle cell and acquired brain injury awareness support and inclusive education. “He does what he wants to do,” his Mum says proudly. “And I give thanks for that.”