A family has spoken out about how their son’s positive attitude is helping them all cope after his life-changing motorcycle accident.
Jack Watts, 19, spent five days in intensive care where he fought for his life, and underwent an eight-hour surgery where two metal plates were fitted to stabilise his back.
His Parents were told that he was paralysed from the chest down, and they faced an incredibly long road to recovery, including seven weeks at the Royal Victoria Hospital and seven weeks at Musgrave Park Hospital.
Speaking to Belfast Live, Jack’s father, Norman, explained how the tragedy unfolded.
He said, “Jack has autism and ADHD. On his 18th birthday, Jack wanted a motorbike, and because of his autism, he loved the bike as it allowed him to be independent. He could take himself away and meet people.
“The bike was his lifeline; he really loved it. He used to take himself down to Newcastle where the bikers meet up and he would go there three of four times a week. We got a phone call on 6th November to say Jack had been involved in an accident.
“Even at the site of the crash he told me that he thought he was paralysed because he couldn’t feel anything, he thought his lungs had collapsed and his ribs had broken and he was right about that as well.
“He spent 8 hours in surgery, they told us straight away that evening he was paralysed, the spinal damage was that bad that nothing could be done. The surgeries really were about keeping Jack alive. It was a success, thank god.
“It was hard to ask the doctor or surgeon if Jack will ever walk again. They told us never say never but we know that he more than likely won’t.
“He was holding out hope that he might and I eventually had to tell him that he won’t be able to walk again. Once I told him everything felt better because I think he knew himself and it allowed him to focus on what he can do rather than what he can’t.”
Since the accident, Norman says that Jack’s positive attitude has allowed him to move forward with his life.
He said: “I think his autism has helped him deal with it. He just accepted it and deals with it and picks himself up every day. He has a girlfriend who has autism as well and they meet up or he’ll meet up with his friends to Rushmere Shopping Centre. Everyone knows him now and keeps an eye out for him and supports him.
“If you were to talk to him, you wouldn’t feel one bit sorry for him. He is only a young lad and he knows he’s in a wheelchair for the rest of his life and he just accepts it and focuses on what he will be able to do.
“He still says that it was the best few months of his life when he had the bike and if he was to do it all again he wouldn’t change it.”
While Jack has maintained a positive attitude, things have been hard for his family, coping with caring for Jack in a way they never imagined they would need to.
Norman said: “For us, it has been hard. To watch your child struggle to get in and out of bed, to help them get dressed, it is hard. He’s 19 and he’s in a nappy. Some people think that he’s just lost his mobility but everything has to be retrained.
“We are still in the early stages of working through it and it is hard but his positivity is what is getting us through it. Other people would struggle even to get out of bed but he perseveres and gets himself out and chats to the people in the shops. He is dealing with it as well as anyone would if not better.
“We are still very positive, I have been off work for four months now, I will be going back in a couple of months and my wife is going to basically become Jack’s carer.
“She is amazing and we are taking a lot of the recovery on ourselves. We are happy and we are together as a family. Jack is the same boy that he was before the accident, he just doesn’t have the same body.”
A family friend, Stephanie Devlin, set up a GoFundMe to help Norman and his family give Jack an even better quality of life.
Norman said, “It was amazing that the GoFundMe was set up; it was not something we would have done personally.
“We would have gotten him everything he needed eventually but it is so nice that people are donating to help us get those things quicker.
“For all the bad things going on in the world, this is such a positive thing and it just gives me such a warm feeling. It is the best thing that could have happened from it, it is unbelievable.
“The money is all going towards getting Jack his independence. We are looking for an attachment for his wheelchair and then in the future a lighter wheelchair. The standard ones are around 20 kilos, the lighter ones are 7 kilos and would be so much easier for Jack to get around in. It is all about making life easier for Jack.
“I find it amazing that people who don’t even know us are willing to donate to help us.
“Thank you to everybody, the kindness and generosity that people have shown us is overwhelming. It just shows you that there is still so much good in the world.”
Donations can be made here.
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