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Lin’s Story

When Lin, a former Thomson tour rep, married Steve she could never have predicted that just 15 months later she would be fighting to keep him alive. 

After suffering from a major stroke in September 2014, Steve has defied all odds with his recovery. Doctors told Lin he would die, he would have no recovery in his speech and that he wouldn’t recognise anything. But Lin knew Steve was a fighter and that he wasn’t going to let go that easily, with this in mind Lin did everything she could to get him the help he so desperately needed. 

Since then Steve’s recovery has been overwhelming, step by step he has got stronger, learned to talk again, and with the help of ABTA LifeLine, and the amazing support from the Travel Industry, Steve can walk and move his arm again. Our fundraising has provided wireless kits, which uses low energy electrical pulses to artificially generate body movements. 

Lin told us “This has given him so much confidence. He can hold his arm out, but he can’t rotate it or push with it, a couple of weeks ago he went out on his own for a walk. ABTA LifeLine has been amazing; I don’t have the words to tell you how much this has done for us”
The fundraising also paid for a sofabed so that Steve’s 11 year old daughter can stay with them, however it has meant a lot more for the couple than we first thought. Lin told us “First thing we did was hold hands and sit on it together, and then I confess that we had a little cry. It's the first time we've been able to sit side by side since my husband's stroke... 31 months today in fact! Thank you again for giving us such a wonderful treat. We absolutely love it.”

What an incredible journey it has been, one that ABTA LifeLine is honoured to have been a part of. We wish Lin and ‘hubby Steve’ the best in their future, of course with us always there when they need us.