Hagley man to raise £10K for best friend left paralysed from chest down after bike crash

Will Taylor suffered major trauma to his spinal chord after the incident in February last year, undergoing six hours of emergency surgery to reset his spine.

However, the severity of his injuries meant he was paralysed from the chest down.

Despite the challenges he faced, Will exceeded expectations and managed to get back in a swimming pool, use a specially adapted bike and even back to work part-time within six months.

Still left with spasms, stiffness, damaged neural pathways, muscle fatigue and weakness, the 33-year-old has to undergo physiotherapy nearly everyday which he has had to fund privately.

Now, best friend Ben Corcoran is hoping to raise £10,000 to build a rehabilitation room for Will in his garden by participating in three major sporting events.

The 28-year-old said: "Will and I are very much alike, we love our sports and live to be active. While his accident was absolutely devastating, I'm so proud of the progress he has made and the positive mindset he has taken on to become as strong and fit as he can.

"With the support of others, I know we can make his rehabilitation room a reality –it would literally be life-changing for him in every sense of the word.

"I'm hoping that through my commitment to taking on some of the most challenging events I have ever undertaken, I can do my part in supporting him."

Ben is two-thirds of the way through completing the feat, having already completed the Manchester Marathon and the Keswick 50km Trail Ultra Marathon ahead of the Race to the Stones 100km Ultra Marathon in July.

He has so far raised more than £3,000 of his £10,000 target. To donate to the cause, visit gofundme.com/f/will-power-spinal-cord-recovery-physio-room