We are raising £10,000 to get James Bascoe-Smith (Knife crime survivor) to Las Vegas to celebrate his 22nd birthday , Fredi Nwaka met James in mid 2025 and was deeply touched by James' story of determination , perseverance and strength . Fredi felt compelled to help James and his family as they have been through a traumatic and major life event.

James' dream was to go to Vegas for a birthday celebration, however he could not celebrate his 18th ,19th or 21st Birthday because on the 23 February 2021 in Myatt's Field, Brixton. James was knocked off a bicycle he was test riding for his Mum. As James was laying on the floor, he was set upon by a gang who proceeded to stab him multiple times, in an unproved attack with an array of knives. The police found discarded knives after the incident, including a kitchen knife, a zombie knife, rambo and a ninja machete. James was NOT in a gang!

He was initially given CPR by his neighbours and then trauma first aid by the police first responders and firearm unit. He was provided further trauma care by London Ambulance Paramedics, but he suffered a catastrophic bleed that led to a cardiac arrest.

James was clinically dead for 55 minutes and was saved by London’s Air Ambulance Charity Doctors, Paramedics and Nurses who carried out roadside heart surgery (thoracotomy) at the scene of the incident.

James was in a vegetative state for 6 months after the assault, as he suffered a brainstorming episode which caused severe dystonia (muscle contractures). He was in hospital for 449 days, 174 of those spent in a trauma unit at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust ,James had to re learn how to breath on his own ,speak , move his limbs ,eat and drink.

James' family were told that because he was clinically dead for nearly an hour from suffering a cardiac arrest the hypoxic brain injury James suffered were so severe that he wouldn’t talk again, remember who he was or know who his family were!

James’s 18th birthday (Sep2021), he was in The Children's Trust Hospital (for children who has a significant brain injury), this celebration was the catalyst for James' brain injury recovery as he began to speak and said MUM for the first time.

James’s 19th birthday (Sep 2022), he was discharged from, The hospital for Neurodisability (for adults who has a significant brain injury) and celebrated with family and friends at a restaurant which was a very special celebration as, we recalled the words of the Doctors, that James may not live to see his 18th Birthday. James was not expected to live to see his 18th Birthday , also this was the year that the trial of the perpetrators who stabbed James started and concluded , this time was a sombre and distressing time , but we had to celebrate as we know too well that James may not have lived and we have lost too many young people to knife violence.

James’s 20th birthday (Sep 2023), he celebrated by cheering on Team James completing an abseil of 17 floors down the Royal London Hospital (RLH). This abseil raised vital live saving money for the London Air Ambulance charity. As James, the family , friends on onlookers watched as Team James made their way to the ground this was a very special celebration as the trauma team from RLH were the team who saved James on that near fatal night with a roadside heart surgery. James; 20th Birthday was a day that he began to look to the future and plan his life.

James 21st birthday, (Sep 2024) was a year that brought pain and fear, James was diagnosed with cancer namely - Hodgkin's Lymphoma in Spring 2024, James was in another fight for his life , James celebrated with family and friends at a restaurant which was a very special celebration dinner and a small gathering at home as, we were all celebrating but the chemotherapy was not successful during this time and James received Stem Cell Transplant . Fast forward Spring 2025, James beat Cancer and is in remission!

James has fought twice for his life and is continually turning his trauma to Triumph, James wants to go to Las Vegas.

James deserves to go to Vegas! James wants to live LIFE!

James’ 22nd Birthday wish; to go to Las Vegas! To find out more information please click the link for the Power of A Man Website https://thepowerofaman.co.uk/last-night-a-dj-saved-my-life-james-bascoe-smith/

Thanks for taking the time to visit James’ JustGiving page and making James’ dreams come true, your generous donation, will not only cover James’ flight and accommodation but the cost of specialist care and premium insurance required, living with an acquired disability has often financial impacts that are unseen.

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