On the 30th of June, my son's life was changed forever.

Whilst on a day at the beach enjoying the sunshine with friends, Josh dived off a 5 foot wall into shallow water. As he landed, the impact crushed his neck and back, severely damaging his C7 vertebrae and spinal cord.

As he lay there, face down in the water he attempted to swim, which is when his friends knew something was badly wrong.

His friend heroically saved him from drowning that day, however that is when the extent of his injuries came to light. As he led there, unable to move his legs it soon became obvious how lucky he was to still be breathing.

He was quickly airlifted to Southampton hospital where he was assessed by professionals who sadly informed Josh that he may never walk again.

3 weeks after the accident, we are all still adjusting to the news that our sons life has tragically changed overnight.

As a parent, you always wish the best for the future of your child; parenthood is filled with unexpected surprises and challenges, but this is one which you never dream of facing. That being said, Josh is incredibly positive and has kept his cheeky sense of humour which has been pulling us all through. He remains hopeful for his future.

Before the accident Josh was always active, and enjoyed football, mountain-biking and skiing. He is extremely determined to regain control of his hands and fingers and will soon start rehabilitation. Sport is a massive part of his life, but without use of his fingers, even the simplest of tasks we all take for granted may be impossible, which is why we want to give him the best chance possible.

Any funds raised will go towards helping Josh adapt to live a fulfilling future with his injuries, moving to and adapting a new home, a wheelchair and further rehabilitation and treatment costs we will incur during the process of getting Josh ready to come home in several months time.

Thank you in advance for any support, please share this. We hope Josh’s story can help everyone appreciate the small things, and inspire others in a similar position to remain hopeful.

Josh’s Family and friends.