Glasgow paralysed man learns to breathe again after 'freak accident'

We previously reported how Glasgow born Michael Wells was paddleboarding with his family on holiday in Hungary last September when he dived into the water and broke his neck.

The devastating blow has left the 29-year-old unable to move below his shoulders and in need of 24-hour care.

Now he has managed to learn to breathe using his diaphragm instead of his chest muscles, which has allowed him to stop relying on a tracheostomy and ventilator.

READ MORE: Man left paralysed after suffering freak accident on holiday

This involved creating an opening at the front of his neck so a tube could be inserted into his windpipe and help him breathe.

Now Michael can talk and eat solid food again leaving his family bursting with pride as he gets some “normality” back and continues his recovery at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

Michael and David celebrating their birthday (Image: Sourced)

His big sister Seòna Wells, 31, told the Glasgow Times: “We are just so proud of Michael and how he has handled the entire situation.

“I have never been so inspired by my little brother and the way he has conducted himself, it is incredible how he deals with everything.

“This has been so terrifying and life-changing but he has been so brave and kind to everyone, he is such a good person.

“He just celebrated his 29th birthday in hospital with his twin brother, David, and got to eat banana bread which is their favourite.

“Getting the tracheostomy out means he can speak again and breathe on his own, he is really excited about being able to eat again, it is a bit of normality for him.

“He had been watching MasterChef and cooking shows while being fed through a tube, so now he can have home-cooked meals and takeaways again he is really happy."

Michael was due to start his dream job in Glasgow one week after his tragic accident.

He still hopes he can take on the computer engineering role in the future and get back to work as his recovery continues.

This will mean relying on specialised accessible equipment that will let him operate the device with his eyes.

He has also always loved the outdoors and hopes he can get a wheelchair that will allow him to still explore nature.

Michael’s family want to support him reaching these targets and are fundraising to help pay for the equipment.

Seòna said: “Despite everything Michael has stayed resilient and also never lost his sense of humour, it has really helped the family during this difficult time.

“We want to help him now and make sure he can still be outdoorsy with a special wheelchair, after all why should he have to miss out.

“He is also hoping to get back to work which would be great, he could use special equipment that would allow him to still do his job.

“We are beyond grateful for all the help and donations we have received. It really makes a difference and all the supportive messages have really cheered him up.

“The money goes fast as all the equipment is so expensive, but it is worth it to give Michael the chance to enjoy his life and have as much independence as possible.”

You can donate to Michael and his family here.