Knocked Back My Life

13-year-old Molly...

..and my friend Adam...

FOOTBALL CROWD CHEERS

..used to be able to do everything like everyone else.

But then, they was both knocked down by a car.

-MAN ON PHONE:

-'She's lying in the bushes, just breathing.

'We don't know what's gone wrong.'

I don't really remember any of it.

They had lots of injuries

but it was their brains that were hurt the most.

So they had to teach their brains to learn everything again.

Including walking and talking.

Good, that was good.

I can't do that.

-HE MOANS

-Come on, lad.

Go on, Adam, keep going buddy!

To try and return to their lives before they were knocked back.

And I'm Cobie, Adam's best friend.

CROWD CHEERS

Adam wasn't always like this.

I've known him

since he was really little.

He used to be a talented footballer, and we were always playing sports.

But now things are very different.

Adam was knocked down four years ago.

His skull was shattered, and he was in a coma for ten weeks.

When he woke up, his brain wasn't working.

Now we spend most of our time playing on the computer.

Before Adam's accident we use to go rock climbing, and I really miss it.

Today, we're going back to the centre to see if he can give it a go again.

Are you going to win?

Yeah?

He still does the same stuff, but just differently to other people.

He's just as normal as he was before the accident.

Adam always wants to beat me. And I'm letting him go first.

Ready? How high we going to go?

Going to go all the way to the top?

Yeah? Fantastic.

Go on, get to the top.

If you get to the top, I'll get to the top.

-Go on, lad!

-Go on, Adam!

Doing really well. Do you want to carry on or do you want to go down?

Do you want to go down? Are you sure?

OK.

It looks like Adam's brain just can't remember how to climb.

You're tired now, aren't you?

We're competitive.

Say I score on the football, Adam gets a little bit frustrated.

Say Adam scores on the football, I get a little bit frustrated.

Now I'm up here, I don't think Adam's going to be happy.

Give him some support, don't be tight! You just want to win!

Go on, Cobie, you're nearly there!

-Yes!

-Wow, Cobie!

Well done!

Time for your forfeit, Adam!

-You've got to do the dance now.

-You've got to show me your dance now.

-ALL:

-Yay!

It's been tough for Adam today, but I know he always likes a challenge.

Adam isn't the only one trying to piece his brain back together.

This is Molly.

Four months ago, Molly was hit by a van

when she ran into the road to see her friend.

Molly now lives at the Children's Trust,

a place where they help children who have had brain injuries to

re-learn how to do all the things they could do before.

Can you remember what you do, Molly - what sessions?

I do occupational therapy.

Physiotherapy.

Hydrotherapy.

And play.

Your brain controls everything you do, including moving, eating,

sleeping, and talking.

So when it gets hurt, you have to learn to do these things again.

Molly and Adam both have traumatic brain injuries,

which means that they have hit their heads very hard,

and parts of their brains have been damaged.

Molly is starting to realise that there are a lot of things

that she now can't do.

-Can I stand up and do it?

-No, it's probably best if you don't.

I can't reach anything.

Yeah, you can, if you lean forward you can reach that.

No, cos it hurts my legs.

Molly has achieved so much already, but knows that she has to work hard

to get back to where she was before the accident.

So we're talking about you going back to school, Molly.

Is that one of your big goals?

What would you like to do when you go back to school?

-See all my friends.

-See all your friends.

-Be able to walk round school.

-OK.

-And join in all the gossip?

-Mmm-hmm.

-Yeah?

-Cos I haven't heard much.

-You haven't heard much?

Are there some other things that you would like to practice?

My memory.

Right. And what does that help you to do now?

It helps me remember what people have said.

Molly has to relearn so much.

She's spending most of her time

getting her brain to remember how to walk.

But she's finding it tough.

Molly, shall we try to remember?

I can't do that.

-Shall we start?

-Yeah.

-Are you tired?

-Yeah.

OK, let's sit down again.

It's no surprise she's struggling.

Four months ago, Molly was hit by a van outside her home.

She was so poorly that she was taken to hospital in a helicopter.

I don't really remember any of it.

I heard Mummy say it's going to be OK.

But then after that it was like...nothing.

Before the accident, Molly was so...

just out there, you know?

She was so popular.

She was always out with her friends. Her friends would be round here.

She was just the life and soul, really.

When I woke up, I don't remember that either.

Because I was in PTA.

That means Post Traumatic Amnesia.

It means you forget something the next day.

What you've just done, you forget.

Do you remember what happened to your leg?

-No.

-Thing is, you can see that damage, can't you?

-Yeah.

And what damage can't you see?

In there.

I decided to cut round my head and take my brain out.

Then you'd definitely see some damage.

Molly finds it frustrating

that things aren't the way they were before.

I want you to follow me, and try and move to the music.

-I can't do that.

-I'm going to go slowly.

-I still can't do it.

-Shall we have one go?

-No.

-To the door?

-Just follow my movements.

-No.

You're going to watch my legs as well, yeah?

-We'll try it, OK?

-No.

Come on, Molly!

Today, I'm going to Adam's house.

He has a big idea for us, and he has asked me to come over

for moral support while he runs it past his mum.

You have something to tell me? What've you got to tell me?

You WANT to do one or you ARE doing one?

Do you not think two miles is a bit far, darling?

Adam and I want to take on the Great Manchester Run,

along with thousands of other young people.

But it will be a lot harder for Adam than anyone else there.

Do you not think you'll get tired?

You've only just learned how to walk.

Can you remember why you've had to learn to walk again?

After Adam's accident, his brain was so badly hurt

that he was asleep in a coma for ten weeks.

The doctors thought he would never wake up.

See that tube there?

His brain couldn't even remember how to breathe,

so the doctors had to put that in until he learned.

There was a lot of damage to the brain.

And when someone's telling you that, you think,

"Ooh, well, it's bad, but it's not that bad."

You don't realise the extent, and how complex the brain is.

Adam can understand everything just like you and me.

But the part of his brain that controls how he talks is broken.

And the part that controls his walking is broken too.

One of the consultants that came into us,

who kind of wanted to make it very crystal clear

that he probably wouldn't ever talk, eat, walk...

And do you want to do it, Cobie?

Yeah!

Well, if Adam's going to do it, I've got to.

Cos, it's just...

I'm not getting beat by him!

I'm proud of you.

A two-mile walk for Adam,

who's only just learned to walk again, is a big deal.

So we need to get training.

Right, good luck lads, don't be too long, will ya?

I'm trying to help Adam to use every part of his body to

get his brain used to telling different parts to move.

Come on, lets do squats.

One.

Two...

This is what he does in physio too.

It's only by doing these things over and over again that Adam's brain

will learn how to do things again.

Luckily, Adam is really stubborn,

and when he wants to do something, he will, no matter how hard it is.

And Molly's quite stubborn too.

It's tough when your brain won't do what you want it to.

Especially when it's something that used to be easy.

-Right, which one we going for first?

-That one.

I found it quite difficult, because I can't do it.

So I just get in a hissy fit and throw things.

And stretch.

Right, you going to keep it straight?

Probably not.

Molly forgets sometimes as well that she can't walk.

She tries to get up and walk, and she just

basically gets agitated and angry as well, because she knows that she's

confused, and she knows that there's a reason,

but she can't remember what it is

because everything's scrambled up in her brain.

To help Molly get over her frustration,

her mum is taking her for a special treat at the hairdressers.

-..apple juice, hot chocolate...

-Hot chocolate, please.

Of course you can.

But even her pampering session

doesn't take her mind off her accident.

-I don't remember anything from the accident.

-I know.

I'd ask my mum what really happened to me,

and she'd tell me,

and I could see in her eyes it makes her upset.

Do you remember what I've told you or not?

-No.

-No?

-Oh, yeah!

I remember, I ran across the road, and I got hit by a van.

I went past the speed sign in the air and landed in a bush.

For the first time, Molly is remembering it for herself!

-Can you remember what was broken?

-My ankle, my pelvis.

But your head had hit the van and smashed into the windscreen.

And inside your head, your brain had gone, burble-burble-burble.

Oh, yeah, I know that bit.

-Like a pink jellyfish.

-Yeah.

-Even though the brain is grey.

Sounds like Molly's hard work on improving her memory

is starting to work.

-And there's some news for Adam too.

-Have a look at that.

Open your eyes, surprise!

-Do you know what that picture is?

-Look at it.

-Have a look.

Yeah! You're going to be a big brother again!

Now Adam has got another reason to complete the walk -

to make his new sibling proud.

Go! One, two, three, four...

So it's back to training for him.

..seven, eight, nine, ten.

While Adam has the chance to rebuild his life through physio,

other children are less fortunate.

The biggest killer of young people today is road traffic accidents.

Seven children are hit by cars every day,

and boys are twice as likely as girls to be knocked over.

Like Adam, Molly was one of the lucky ones to survive.

Today, she's meeting the medics who saved her life.

Aw, Molly! Hello!

This doctor and paramedic from the East Anglian Air Ambulance

brought Molly into hospital in this helicopter.

They weren't sure she would survive.

-Thank you.

-Aw, you're all right!

I'm happy you're doing really well.

I was ever so sad leaving you at the hospital,

not knowing what was going to happen to you.

-ON PHONE:

-'Ambulance emergency - tell me exactly what's happened?'

-MAN:

-'A girl's been hit by a car...'

This is the real 999 recording from Molly's accident.

'OK, we're not too far away now.'

When they got to her, she was lying on the side of the road.

She couldn't open her eyes, and she was struggling to breathe.

Last year, over 2,000 children were killed or

seriously injured on Britain's roads.

What does it make you feel like, Molly?

I'm happy they saved my life, but it's sad to go back to it.

Yeah. Cos it was the day that your life changed, didn't it?

All of our lives, really.

The last time Molly was in this helicopter, she was being flown

to a hospital emergency department for life-saving treatment.

-I just want to say thank you so much.

-You're welcome.

Thank you for coming back to see us as well, it's lovely to see you.

-And thanks for doing so well!

-Yeah, you look amazing.

Aw!

Has anyone got a tissue for Daddy?

Ha-ha, you're crying!

ALL LAUGH

It was a bit weird, because I didn't know them.

They just helped me when I was unconscious.

But it was quite nice to see them

and to thank them for saving my life.

It's been an emotional day for Molly and her whole family.

Today, we're back at the climbing centre

for our final training session before the walk.

Adam has been working so hard on his walking

that he hasn't even brought his wheelchair with him!

You going to climb the wall today?

For the last month, Adam and I have been working

on getting his brain to do what Adam wants it to.

And the best test of whether we have done our job

is to see if this time he can make it to the top.

It's a race, innit.

And I'm going to get to the top before you.

I'm not going to lose. I'm not going to lose.

OK, lads, we're going to have a bit of a race now.

So after three, off we go. One, two, three - go!

All right, to the left.

That's it, well done, mate!

Come on, Adam, keep going, buddy!

You're doing really well there, mate. Keep going!

No way - Adam's winning!

Keep going, Adam!

That's it. Well done, Adam!

Adam beat me.

All his hard work over the last month has paid off.

I hope this means he's ready for the big walk.

Like Adam, Molly has been making a final push for her brain to

remember how to walk again.

After months of physiotherapy...

Yay!

..Molly takes her first steps on her own.

-Do you want to walk back?

-Yeah!

-Come on!

That's awesome, Molly!

Ready, steady...

But has she done enough to be allowed to go home

and start back at school?

This is your English book,

do you want to look at the first page?

Tell me what you think.

Ugh! It's terrible.

It's very different, isn't it?

And shall we have a look at now?

Some writing from now.

We've seen, by looking at all these books,

how far you've come, haven't you?

-You've done brilliantly.

-Thank you.

And I'm looking forward to having messages

-about how well you're doing.

-Thank you.

-Will you do that?

-Yeah.

-OK, thanks, Molly.

-It's OK.

You've done so well, Molly! Hope you get back home soon.

It's the night before our big walk. So it's our last chance to relax.

How are you feeling about the run?

You feel nervous? Why?

I think pain will be a huge factor. Risk of falling.

He just proves us all wrong all the time so...

who knows?

Sure you can do it?

You don't know?

Are you going to try your hardest?

With all the nerves and excitement for tomorrow,

I'm not sure we are going to get any sleep tonight.

After five months of living at the rehab centre,

Molly's finally ready to go home.

And preparations for her farewell party are underway.

-So how do you feel about going home?

-Nervous.

-Are you nervous?

-Why's that?

-Cos, erm... I don't know.

-You don't know?

You just feel it in your tummy, a bit nervous.

-It's like butterflies.

-Yeah.

I get that too. But actually now, I'm quite excited.

-I'm really looking forward to it. A new start, isn't it?

-Mmm-hmm.

-New chapter.

-Chapter.

-Yeah, a new chapter.

-And turn a new leaf.

-You're going to turn a new leaf, are you?

-Yeah.

-Oh!

I'm not running out behind buses.

Not running out behind buses! That's a really good idea.

-And what else do we need to do when we cross the road?

-Look!

Look. Stop, look and listen!

THEY LAUGH

All dressed up and ready to make an entrance, Molly wants to show

her friends just how much her brain has recovered by walking in.

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

Well done, darling. I'm so impressed, I can't believe it.

That's amazing, well done, give me a kiss.

Whoo!

Are you excited to go home?

Are you going to say goodbye?

After five long months, Molly finally gets to ring the bell,

signalling the end of her treatment at the rehab centre.

CHEERING

A big thank you to everyone on behalf of Molly,

it's been very... It's been emotional.

-So, thank you. Do you want to say thanks, Molly?

-Thanks.

-LAUGHTER

-Thanks, everyone.

Our big day is here.

It's the morning of our two-mile race in Manchester.

We are lining up to start and there are thousands of people.

Stand up, now!

But Adam still seems pretty relaxed.

Can you do it? Yeah?

Oh, very good! Good luck!

STARTING HORN

-Go on, Adam!

-Well done, Adam! Well done!

-I'm proud of you.

-Yeah?

-Doing really well, keep it up!

Go on, you knew it was going to be hard!

Yeah? We said we'd get you through it, we will.

Some of the other competitors are already finishing.

We still have a long way to go.

Well done, come on, lad - you're doing really, really well.

You all right? Do you want to take your hat off?

He's getting tired.

I'm worried he's not going to make it.

ADAM MOANS

You can do it this, I've got you. Yeah?

I know it's hurting.

It looks like Adam's had enough.

But he has already walked so much further than we all thought he would.

Tired?

No. Not as tired as him.

He's been doing all the work.

He's always been determined.

If he wanted to do something, he'd usually carry it out.

And hope can get you a long way.

Come on, lad. You can do it.

Yes!

I should've known he wouldn't have give up that easily.

-Go, Adam!

-Well done!

-CHEERING

Come on, mate - one last push!

-Yay!

-Whoo!

Not bad for a boy that'd never walk!

-MC:

-We saw inspirational stuff from Ella, and now Adam!

You are an inspiration, Adam!

You're nearly there!

Well done, Adam - absolutely brilliant.

Go on, do it on your own, do it on your own.

On your own, come on.

CHEERING

Nice one, Adam.

You're just tired now, aren't you?

I didn't think he were going to do it halfway through.

But he worked through the pain. Nearly fell over.

Dead proud of him. Really proud, aren't we?

I cried, yeah, I did cry.

Why? Cos I'm proud of you, aren't I?

My boy.

And Molly's having a good day too. She's back at school!

-Molly!

-You look so good!

You've made so much progress, you look so good.

I can't believe you can walk, it's so great!

-So I guess this is it, Molly? You're going to go in?

-Yes.

Yeah? You ready?

OK, try not to miss me too much.

-Have fun.

-Thank you.

-OK.

-There you go, girls.

-Come on.

-We will!

-See you later.

Molly and my friend Adam have survived something terrible.

It's awesome they have got this far.

And with more hard work, they can achieve loads more.

Be careful and make sure you look before you cross a road.

Look left and right, be sensible, and wait for the green light.

Stop and listen.

I didn't think it would happen to me, but it did.

If your friend got knocked down by a car,

you need to be there for them.