Episode 4 Going Back Giving Back

One of the things I love about us Brits is our spirit of generosity.

If I can give back to somebody who had a similar struggle to my own,

then that's what I'd like to do.

Last year, nearly three-quarters of us gave to charity.

But what if you had the chance to go back

and relive moments from your past?

I wish I was 18 again.

I'm expecting Mum and Dad to walk out now and say, "Hello."

-Yeah.

-You know?

Moments which would inspire you to want to help someone today...

I want to give back to those people that are going through that,

that I went through in the beginning.

If I can give something to somebody else

-that will change their lives, I'd really love to.

-Fantastic.

..someone who had no idea this life-changing windfall was coming.

I have got, potentially, her dream in my hand.

-How are you feeling?

-Nervous.

There'll be surprises...

-How are you?

-I'm good!

-Thank you so much!

-Thank you!

..with acts of generosity that will change people's lives...

-We're all crying.

-Do you need a hug as well?

-Yeah, thanks.

..forever.

That's brilliant.

Somebody that just does that for people, it's just amazing.

It really is.

This is Going Back Giving Back.

Today, we're going back to the 1980s.

It's a story of determination and great courage...

when the events of a single night changed a person's life forever.

How does one man react when we take him back to the place

where he realised his life would never be the same again?

Did you ever think, you know, in the dark of night in this place,

"Why me?"

Yeah, you'd be... You'd be lying if you didn't.

I think everybody would naturally say, "Why...? Why me?"

What's inspiring him to want to make a difference to someone today?

I want to give back to those people that are going through that,

that I went through in the beginning.

Can he transform the life of one extremely courageous woman?

Sometimes I wake up and I feel really angry, because I have...

But you have got to get on with your life, then, haven't you?

Absolutely.

And we're on tenterhooks as we prepare for a big surprise...

So, how are you feeling about this?

-A little nervous.

-I am as well.

..with a gift that will transform her life.

-Can I give you a hug?

-Of course you can.

I can give you a big hug.

-You're welcome.

-Thank you so much.

I've come to the stunning Shropshire countryside on the Welsh borders to

meet an exceptional man who rose above personal tragedy to live an

extraordinary life.

For some, when disaster strikes, it sets them back for good.

For others, it motivates them to achieve even greater things in life.

Now, the person I'm going to meet today

definitely embraced the change.

I can't wait to hear his inspiring story.

48-year-old Stewart lives in North Yorkshire,

but it was in Shropshire that his life took a dramatic turn.

Hiya, Stewart! How are you?

Nice to see you.

Coffee's here as well, good man!

Really good to meet you. So, go on, then, Stewart,

what's motivating you to give something back today?

Well, I've had a...

You know, I'm not a multimillionaire,

but I've had a reasonably successful life,

post the injury that I had when I was 17.

As a boy, Stewart was a typical child who loved the outdoors.

But it was in 1985, aged 17,

that Stewart's world was shaken to the core.

-Tell me what happened to you.

-So, I was coming home from ice-skating,

crashed the car, broke my neck.

-Next five months in hospital.

-Goodness me.

Within a split second, Stewart's life had changed forever.

He was in a coma for two and a half weeks.

When he woke up, he was told the devastating news

that he was paralysed from the chest down,

and had limited use of his hands.

A lot of people would have crumbled. Not you.

Well, I think, you know, you look at it and...

On the face of it, you think, "Life's over."

And you really are in that predicament.

But, you know, I'm a battler.

I've gone on, had a reasonable lifestyle

and have a nice, you know, family life.

Stewart's life-changing accident didn't stop him from leading a

wonderful life. He's married, with two young children.

And after being frustrated with the quality of wheelchairs and

accessories available to him, he decided to design his own.

It was a huge success, and today he runs his own company,

selling equipment for people with disabilities.

So, is that...? What happened to you has motivated you

-to want to give something back?

-Yeah, I think, you know...

It's one of those things, because I've got that comfortable lifestyle,

I want to give back to those people that are going through that,

that I went through in the beginning.

You know, and where are they at? You know, wonderful life...

-Life all over.

-How do you feel that your help could change

someone's life forever?

Erm... Quite proud, really.

You know...

Things have changed in my life and I've had good things come through,

people have come along and helped me...

Yeah, I think, yeah, I feel good.

Well, listen, I think in order for us to give back,

I think we need to go back first, if you like.

-So, shall get on with it?

-Yeah, why not?

We're taking Stewart back to a time and place where he was faced with

great adversity, to help him decide how he can assist someone who finds

themselves in a similar situation today.

So, have you got any idea of where we're going?

-I kind of guessed.

-Where do you think we're going?

Well, I kind of think we're going to Gobowen Hospital.

Stewart's absolutely right.

We're heading to the village of Gobowen,

just outside Oswestry in Shropshire,

to the spinal unit of a specialist orthopaedic hospital

where Stewart spent five months after his accident.

He arrived there in a coma.

So, you woke up in the hospital?

Yes. Yes.

What happened then?

I just saw people pushing around in wheelchairs.

You know, it was like...

-Yeah, I...

-I suppose, you're smiling now, but I bet at the time

it was frightening, wasn't it?

I think probably deep down it was frightening.

But I was 17, I was blase.

I accepted that something devastating had gone on,

and I accepted that my life had changed, but I didn't really know.

You know, I didn't really know what entailed after that.

Stewart was just a typical 17-year-old who enjoyed cycling

and ice-skating. He'd just passed his driving test,

and borrowed his mum's car to take friends to the ice-skating rink.

What do you remember of the actual day?

Not a lot. I remember going and skating,

because we did that on a regular basis,

but I normally went up on my bike and I'd gone up in my mum's car.

Oh, so it was a full car, was it?

Yeah, it was an Escort Mark Two.

Razzed up with a little sport steering wheel.

My mum probably regrets having that little sport steering wheel on the car.

So, you don't remember anything of the accident?

I don't remember anything at all of the accident.

I have vague recollections of being in an ambulance,

-but I don't really know.

-OK.

Stewart had lost control as he was driving round a corner.

His car rolled three times.

The friends travelling with him survived with no injuries,

but Stewart's life was about to change forever.

He's been in a wheelchair for 31 years,

but he's hugely thankful that he ended up at the spinal unit of the

Orthopaedic Hospital in Oswestry.

Is it a happy place for you, or a sad place?

It's a happy place.

It's a happy place, because I'm alive.

-Yeah. That's amazing, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Stewart arrived at this hospital as a teenager in July 1985.

Remembering how he came to terms with his life-changing injuries and

the dedicated care he received here is bound to stir up emotions

and hopefully fuel Stewart's desire to help someone today.

This was my practice area in the chair.

-OK.

-I used to have maybe six, seven times going in at first,

just coming from down this corridor.

-To work up the arms?

-Just to practise with the arms, yes.

I can't begin to imagine being in hospital for five months.

Yeah, well... It's just one of those things.

It becomes... It does become home, you know,

for a short period of your life. It becomes home.

And you just accept that...

That's just how it is.

In the early 20th-century, a serious spinal injury meant certain death.

Those who survived lived a tough life, filled with complications.

But everything changed in the 1950s.

Antibiotics were discovered to treat infections

and extend life expectancy.

Revolutionary treatments repositioned the spine,

and bones were fused to prevent further damage.

And rehabilitation exercises began to be used

to give paralysis patients more strength and mobility.

These are treatments that are still being used and improved on today.

So this was your ward?

Yeah, well, this has kind of all really changed.

I think these were baths, like, shower things.

-OK.

-Here, it's all...

I think this was the operating theatre

where I had pins put in my head.

-Right.

-I can't remember, really.

-Gosh.

-Wow. So this was it. Amazing.

-Yeah, none of this was here.

And it was just 25 beds all along.

Wow. Amazing.

The specialist spinal unit was opened in 1966.

Stewart was admitted here almost 20 years later.

How does it feel being back?

I don't know, really. It's kind of eventful. It's...

It's nice to see it, you know, clean and crisp and...

Bit different to when you were here, then?

Oh, massively. Yeah, it was like an old army hospital.

But I suppose what they're doing is exactly the same thing, isn't it?

Yeah, they're doing the same job and rehabilitating people, you know,

-back to life, basically.

-Yeah. Amazing.

Over the five months Stewart was here, he had daily physio

and had to relearn things he'd previously taken for granted,

like getting dressed, picking up a cup and opening doors,

as well as learning to use a wheelchair.

I can... I'm just trying to imagine you and 24 others in the ward.

Yeah. And it was mixed.

-Was it?

-Yeah, there was... There was none of this, you know,

-females in there and males in there. There was curtains.

-Yeah.

-But it was mixed.

-How did you feel about that?

It was all right.

-I was 17, I was a boy, you know.

-Of course you were.

-Listen, where shall we head off to next, then?

-Outside.

-OK.

That's where we, you know, in the summer,

-we'd have a bit of a party out there.

-Well, let's go.

Stewart's recollection of his time here is surprisingly positive.

But he was with 24 other patients who'd gone through similar trauma.

It's the support and the camaraderie that they had that's bringing back

such fond memories.

-So, you'd come out here?

-Yeah, this patio area.

Yeah, right down there. So we'd rock and roll down there.

-What, you with your mates?

-Yeah, we'd come out...

you know, one of the doors, the fire exits at the end of the ward.

And, you know, those that smoked would sit here and have a smoke,

and there'd be a few cans of beer, you know, around.

-Of course, I was almost 18 by then.

-Yeah, of course you were.

You know, this was kind of the only real recreation that there was.

Good God. Do the memories come flooding back when you're back here?

Yeah, because, you know, if we go down that road there, you know,

there's a nice pub that we used to take a mile and half trek.

-OK.

-And the stronger guys, the guys that were paralysed lower down,

-they'd pull me along with a bit of rope.

-Really?

And did you ever think, you know, in the dark of night in this place,

"Why me?

Yeah, you'd be... You'd be lying if you didn't say,

"No, I never, ever thought, why me?"

You know, I think everybody would naturally say, "Why me?"

I would, when I'd go to put my socks on.

That's like this craziest thing. "I can't get these socks on!"

And I'd throw the sock and it bounces off the wall.

No damage to anybody.

Yeah, you know, and I had to prove that I could get undressed

-to go to bed late.

-Right.

That was kind of really weird.

17-year-old boy, all of a sudden having to prove to somebody

-that you don't need somebody else's help.

-Yeah.

Where do you think you'd be without this place?

I don't know. I don't know, spinal injury's a serious thing

and your body just shuts down.

So in the acute days, you know, it's all about keeping you alive.

And then in the semi-acute days, it's about...

..learning to live your life with the paralysis.

And once you get beyond that, it's learning to enjoy life.

-And that's what you're doing now?

-I'm doing it now, yeah.

-Trying my best, anyway.

-Good on you. Shall we go back in?

-Yeah.

-Come on.

-Cool.

Being here is clearly bringing back poignant memories for Stewart.

Coming up, we've been on the hunt for someone whose story we think

will resonate with Stewart.

And we think we've found them.

-Monty, come! Come on!

-She's an extremely brave woman

whose life, too, was changed in a split second.

She thinks we're making a programme about people with spinal injuries.

She has no idea the real reason behind Stewart's visit and

that she could be in for a gift that will change her life.

There's one area that holds particularly strong memories

for Stewart - the woodwork shop.

It's where patients with paralysis make things to help them become

more independent.

-What sort of things did you make here, then?

-One of them.

-Sliding board.

-What's a sliding board?

So you use this and you...

You know, you just literally put that underneath your bum,

and then you slide across into the car.

-Ah, OK.

-So this was, kind of, your first transition

-into becoming independent.

-I see.

Wow. How much time did you spend in here, then?

Oh, this was the best place.

-Was it?

-Yeah, yeah, this was where you had fun.

Reliving what he went through 30 years ago has certainly brought

vivid memories back for Stewart, and reminded him of the battles

he had to overcome.

We went through your old ward and there were quite a few people going

through similar situations as you were when you were in there.

That was the first time I've seen you quiet.

-Yeah.

-Has coming back here reinforced that feeling that

you want to help someone, you want to give back?

Yeah, when you see people just lying there,

they're just lying there in the bed and just waiting for

the moments to pass them by and get on with life

-on the other side of here, yeah.

-I'm glad we came back, are you?

-Well, yeah, it's an interesting place.

-I've really enjoyed seeing

-where you've been, anyway.

-Yeah.

-Shall we go?

-I hope so.

-Yeah, come on, let's head out.

Stewart has a lot to thank this hospital and its staff for.

But there's one man in particular

who played a huge part in his recovery

and we've arranged a reunion between them.

-Wow!

-Fantastic. You're looking grand.

-Do you want to take a seat?

-Yeah.

Dr Wagih El Masri is the orthopaedic surgeon who treated Stewart

at the specialist spinal unit, and was the one who broke the news

to him that he was paralysed.

-It's 31 years?

-Yeah, absolutely. 31 years.

-Incredible.

Yeah. I've been sat down longer than I've been stood up.

Incredible.

I don't think you would probably remember much...

No, I was out for two and a half weeks, I believe.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And it took...

It took about three to four weeks for,

whether it's me to pluck the courage to tell you...

It took a little while for you to be ready

to hear the news about your injuries...

-Yeah?

-..and paralysis and the effect of the paralysis.

I just remember seeing people in wheelchairs going past the

end of my bed, thinking, "I think something's happened here."

Yeah. Most people do not accept it.

-Yeah, it's a big change.

-Absolutely.

-Huge change.

I remember the grapes.

I think it was maybe six or seven weeks after that and I managed to be

able to pull a grape off.

-And it was like, wow!

-That's an achievement.

You know, the huge changes.

-But for my parents it was tough.

-Oh, yeah.

It's always tough for the partner and parents and the near relatives.

-Yeah.

-It is much tougher for them, psychologically,

socially, financially.

Yeah, absolutely.

Mum packed in work to be there virtually every day.

Recovering from his accident was a critical time in Stewart's life.

But his determination paid off.

It takes a great deal of courage, patience, resilience and

ability to deal with the worst, and I'm proud of you.

Yeah?

Dr El Masri is right to be proud of Stewart.

But Stewart also owes a lot to his surgeon, and values his opinion.

So... I'm going to give something to somebody.

-Yeah?

-To help change their life.

Maybe it's not going to change it massively,

but it's just a little, little thing, a gift that I can give.

-Yeah.

-To give somebody something that, you know,

might give them hope.

-Yes.

-What do you think?

Having achieved what you've achieved,

I trust you and I trust your judgment.

And I trust that whatever you're going to do will be considered

and really in the best interests of the person you're trying to help.

I can't tell you more than that.

Well, that's the intention.

-Yeah.

-Just to be nice to somebody.

Meeting up with the surgeon who treated him has reminded Stewart

just how far he's come, and taking him back to where his recovery

started has sparked powerful memories.

Where do you think you'd be without this place?

I don't know. I don't know, spinal injuries is a serious thing.

But, most importantly, it's helped focus his mind.

Has coming back here reinforced that feeling that you want

to help someone, you want to give back?

Yeah, when you see people just lying there,

just waiting for the moments to pass them by... Yeah.

It's clear that going back to when he had his life-changing accident

has made Stewart even more determined to give back.

Of course, there are many people

who could benefit from Stewart's generosity,

but we think we've found somebody whose story really fits the bill.

The Staffordshire cathedral city of Lichfield is home to 57-year-old

former teaching assessment consultant, Susan,

where she lives with her husband, John, and dog, Monty.

Monty, come! Yeah.

Up, up, up! Come on!

It was 18 months ago that Susan's life, just like Stewart's,

changed in a split second.

She was left paralysed after a freak accident whilst out jogging.

Watch out, Monty.

Susan loves being active, so her accident has come as a huge blow,

but just like Stewart, she's determined to stay positive.

So, with these parallels, we've arranged for them to meet.

I'm on my way to see Susan now.

I hear she's had a spinal injury and a dramatic change in life.

But, you know, life isn't always over

when you have a dramatic change in life.

Maybe there's something I can do.

Unlike Stewart, whose parents cared for him after his accident,

as a mother of two grown-up children,

Susan has had to get used to the roles being reversed.

-Hiya.

-Hi, Susan.

-Come on in.

-Stewart.

Nice to meet you.

-Nice to meet you too.

-Come on.

Stewart has spent his adult life in a wheelchair, but for Susan

it's something she's still learning to accept.

Stewart could help transform Susan's life

so this is a crucial meeting.

-This is my husband. This is John.

-Nice to meet you, John.

Susan and John think we're making a programme about people

with spinal injuries.

They have absolutely no idea that Susan could be up

for a life-changing gift.

I believe that you had a spinal injury a year or so ago, yeah?

Yeah, January 28th, 2015.

-Yeah?

-Not a date that I'll forget.

No, see, it's one of those days, July 1st, 1985, so...

-Really?

-I've got a few years on you.

-You have, yeah.

Susan was doing what she loved best when she had her accident.

She was out running when a tree fell, hitting her head.

The impact compressed her spine and broke her back.

My passion was jogging, so I would solve problems when I was jogging,

I would clear my headaches when I was jogging,

which is what I was doing on that day.

I loved it. And I've gone from full-time work, loving my jogging,

loving my life, to being hit by a tree trunk.

A tree trunk?

-And...

-Got more chance of winning the lottery, apparently...

-Yeah. Yeah.

-..than a tree falling and hitting you like that.

Well, you'd have to do the lottery.

Yeah, complete freakish accident.

-Unbelievable.

-Yeah, so I went from being healthy to, suddenly,

I can't move my legs and I have to be flat on my back for...

-Yeah. For a period of...?

-Six weeks.

Six weeks, yeah, flat on her back.

-Yeah?

-And then we got the brace that you wore for...

Was it another six weeks?

Susan was taken to the same specialist orthopaedic hospital

in Oswestry as Stewart, to be treated in the spinal unit.

We met the consultant, who...

Well, John had had a conversation with someone before that

and had seen an X-ray, which I hadn't seen and didn't realise

how bad it was.

-Yeah.

-Although it starts to creep up on you, doesn't it?

-Yeah.

-Over time, you start to realise that...

Their recommendation, obviously,

-was that I had to have an operation on my spine.

-Yeah.

And I always thought I'd be scared of having an operation, but...

..somehow your brain accepts that you need it and...

Yeah, it's amazing, isn't it?

You know, especially, if you're in a specialist place.

-Yeah.

-You kind of automatically go...

-Yeah.

-..this must be the right thing to do.

And when you can't move your legs...

-Yeah.

-..you're pretty sure that you need some kind of help.

Susan has been paralysed for 18 months

which is a relatively short time in terms of recovery

and acceptance of a spinal cord injury.

She's had to give up a job she loves and, like Stewart,

relearn basic day-to-day things.

Suddenly your life is in a chair.

-Yeah. It's a massive change.

-Yeah, you're learning...

You start by learning to sit up, for goodness' sake.

Where you feel like you're on a bowl of jelly and...

you have to learn how to...

-get onto a chair.

-Yeah.

-Get in and out of the car, with a sliding board.

-Get in and out of a car!

Massive.

And then lift your wheelchair into the car...

-Yeah.

-..which was a biggy for me.

-Yeah?

Susan has also had to accept her body isn't as it once was.

One of the things that...

..I found really difficult to get my head around is how your...

-your body changes.

-Yeah.

You know, your muscles are wasted and...

-Yeah, I know.

-..after years of being help fit and healthy,

suddenly my legs have got this weird, no shaped...

So all...

And everything below the waist, it's just out of your control, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-And I find that...

-I find it difficult.

-Yeah.

There are moments when I just think, "I hate this."

-Yeah.

-And I'll say, "I hate my...

-"..my body. I hate my legs."

-Yeah.

Um, and then it's gone and I get on with my day.

Susan is paralysed from the waist down,

unlike Stewart whose paralysis is from the chest down.

The thing about being in a wheelchair is that everybody

is different, aren't they?

With a spinal cord injury,

I don't think you get two that are exactly the same.

I think the only similarity, really,

between any spinal injury is that it's instant.

-Yeah.

-You know, it is literally instant.

It just happens, like, in a split-second.

Sometimes I wake up and I feel really angry, because I have...

I'm picking up my legs to get off the bed.

-Yeah.

-But...

You have to get on with your life, though, haven't you?

Yeah, absolutely.

And you know, as you move on and on and on, it becomes blase.

While Susan is doing her best to be positive,

not being able to exercise

is something she's finding hard to accept.

I like to stay active, so it kills me that I can't get out very far...

-Yeah.

-..in my wheelchair.

I'm getting better in my wheelchair.

I still can't do high kerbs.

-Yeah.

-Or a back wheel balance.

-They're...

-I'll get there.

They are things that, you know, you do.

The road at the end of the close that we live on is sloped.

-Yeah.

-So I go up and down there.

There's a piece of grass by the side of it that's got a sloped path,

so I go up and down there to try and get exercise.

Stewart wants to find out what really drives Susan.

What would make a huge difference to her life?

I love my jogging, I think you've got that idea.

And I just miss the freedom that you feel, and...

..I know it sounds silly, but the wind blowing on your face.

-Yeah, wind blowing on your face.

-The wind blowing in your hair.

-Yeah.

Even though I've got short hair.

-It's just there's something about that that gives you a buzz.

-Yeah.

-And you don't really get that.

-Yeah.

That feeling that I had when I jogged,

-I've just lost it.

-Just don't whoosh along.

We're looking at wheelchairs, the best wheelchair that we can get.

And now we're looking at equipment that can be added to the wheelchair,

to allow her to get out into the country lanes.

If I had something that...

Something that attached to my wheelchair

-that would allow me to exercise.

-Yeah.

That's what I want to do. I want to exercise, and feel, again,

that my heart rate's rising

and that, just that rush that you get.

The equipment Susan's describing is extremely expensive

and unaffordable, as she and John have had to use their savings

to pay for adapting their home for her wheelchair.

But it would give both of them the freedom to do so much more.

We used to love holidaying in Austria, cycling and walking.

And we will, for sure, go back to Austria.

-Yeah.

-Maybe not this year, but we'll go back.

I do miss...

-being active.

-Yeah.

And we have talked a lot about getting the handcycle, haven't we?

And we'll get there, we'll do it.

And we'll go back to Austria.

-Yeah.

-And we'll just, like we say, find other things to do.

Hello.

Aw, beautiful, hey.

It's been fantastic to meet you.

So I'll get out of your hair.

I'll let you feed the dog.

-Yeah.

-And hope to you see again sometime.

-Yeah, it would be nice to see you again.

-All right.

-Thanks very much.

-Thanks a lot.

-Thanks.

-Great to meet you.

-And you.

-Lovely to meet you.

-Yeah.

-See you again.

-See you again, I'll see you out.

This meeting has undoubtedly been emotional for Stewart,

hearing about Susan's accident

and remembering what he went through too.

Lovely to meet you! Bye!

So, it went...

Um, really well.

Er, Susan's obviously very much at the beginning of her

spinal injury journey

and she's a very active person and I think becoming active again

is really important to her.

Stewart knows exactly what Susan is going through,

just 18 months after her accident.

He can feel her frustration.

She's longing to be active and independent again.

But making the important decision whether he can help Susan

is a big one.

So, he's taking advice from someone that was there in his time of need.

His mum, Joyce.

-Over the past few days, I've been to Oswestry.

-Yeah?

Back to the, um...

-Back to the old spinal unit.

-Yeah.

-But it's not an old spinal unit any more.

-Is it not?

-Is it nice and modern now?

-There's masses of changes gone on.

-Yeah?

And I met the boss himself.

Oh, the big man?

Yeah, Wagih, and I've met...

I've met a woman in the Midlands.

-Yeah?

-Who's very early days.

-Yeah.

-Going back, you know, kind of just reminds you of the early days.

But...

-Yeah.

-It's still a massive thing to deal with, because...

It's still a lot to come to terms with, yeah.

-..you know, when you can't use your legs.

-Yeah.

-It's a big thing.

-Yeah.

-And she was very active, very active.

-Yeah.

She was out running and a tree fell on her.

Oh!

-That's horrible.

-Yeah.

-Wow!

How is she coping with it, herself?

Very... Very good, but, you know, it's a tough,

it's a tough time for anybody, going through, you know, immediate,

sort of that immediate paralysis.

January of last year was when she was injured.

And you can see, it's like, it's really early days.

It's... Yeah.

And she's, you know, just coming to terms with things.

And she's like getting out and doing some stuff.

So I can see...

-Yeah. Well, really...

-She wants to exhilarate herself.

When you think back, that was a big help for you, wasn't it?

Oh, yeah. So, I'm kind of thinking that, you know,

there's something that I can do to help her.

-Yeah?

-I'm thinking of finding something to help her

on that next step.

-Next journey. Yeah, well, this...

-What do you think?

Well, it would have been nice if there had been somebody

who could've helped you on the next step,

-so I think it's a brilliant idea.

-Yeah?

Yeah, sounds really good.

For Stewart, having his mum's blessing to help Susan

is hugely important.

In Susan, he's found someone he can totally relate to.

He's been there and understands what she's going through today.

We've gone back, now Stewart needs to go forward,

and decide in what way he can make a difference to Susan's life.

It's been a week since I saw Stewart last,

and I know during that time he's met up with Susan.

What an amazing woman she is.

She didn't allow that freak accident to destroy her life,

she's shown great courage.

Actually, Stewart must have seen a lot of himself in her.

They're both made of similar stock, don't you think?

But I wonder if he's ready to give something back and help her.

Let's go and find out.

Stewart's waiting for me just around the corner from the park

where Susan and husband John are out with her dog Monty.

And it's that time when we discover exactly what he's going to do.

-How are you?

-Good to see you again. Very good.

-Nice to see you.

So, you've met up with Susan?

-Yeah. Yeah.

-How did it go?

Yeah, really, really good.

But, you know, obviously quite daunting.

You know, especially for Susan, because it's very early days.

-Was it emotional for you?

-Yeah.

Yeah, it is cos you're kind of reliving those early days

of, you know, what was it like...

By all accounts I was fairly horizontal

and accepted the situation pretty quickly.

But was that cos I was young?

-Yeah, maybe.

-Yeah.

-Do you think it's harder for Susan, then?

I think it's a lot harder because she's, you know,

middle of her life.

Everything's going great, she's got children.

You know, and...

And then, all of a sudden, bang.

Life changes.

What's the plan, then?

Um, well...

I think one of the things she really enjoyed before her accident

was getting, you know, exhilarating herself and really,

really pushing her body to the limit.

-She used to go running...

-Right.

-..clear her head running.

And one of the pieces of kit that I think I can help her with

is a handcycle.

-A handcycle.

-That'll attach to her chair.

Right, how does that work, then?

So, we just, there's a bracket there that, you know,

it'll just fit to her chair and she can clip it on.

And then you just rotate your arms around,

there's an electric power there to assist you on the hill climbs,

cos arms are not as strong as legs.

-And...

-So she can get out and about again.

Wow, do you think that'll make a big difference to her life?

Huge. Huge, massive.

-Yeah.

-In what way, do you think?

A double effect.

The release of endorphins and then there's also, you know,

the fact that you're out in the countryside

and you're doing something.

This is as close as you can possibly get to what she did

before her accident.

Gosh. It's invaluable.

Invaluable, yeah. Without question.

-Are they very expensive?

-Yeah, they're about five grand.

-Wow.

-Yeah.

So you're going to make a huge difference to her life.

-I think so. Yeah.

-How does that make you feel?

Um...

I don't know. Just able to do it, you know?

It's...

If you can make that big change to people's lives.

Fantastic. God, blimey, I can't wait to see her face.

-Have you written your letter?

-Yeah.

-Shall we head off and see her?

-Yeah. Absolutely.

She has no idea that we're coming, it's going to be a big surprise.

-Fantastic.

-All right. Come on, let's go.

Stewart's put down on paper how he intends to help Susan

and it's the big moment,

telling her and her husband John what we've really been up to

and for them to discover how Susan's life is about to be transformed.

-So, how are you feeling about this?

-A little nervous.

-I am as well.

It's... It's because you set it up beautifully by saying, you know,

this will give her the freedom that she hasn't got any more.

-It's life-changing.

-It's massively life-changing, yeah.

There she is, she's over there, isn't she?

OK. Here we are.

Hello, hello.

-Hi, Susan.

-Hello.

-I'm Aled Jones from the BBC. Nice to meet you.

How are you? You thought we were making a programme about disability.

-Yes.

-It's not the full story, is it, sir?

No. The full story's held inside this letter.

I met you this week and some of the things that you've been through

reminded me of my past 30 years ago.

So if you could do, I'd like you to read this letter out.

If you could read it out loud, please.

"Dear Susan, it was a pleasure to meet you and your husband..."

My hand's shaking now.

"I enjoyed getting to know you and hearing your story,

"which has many similarities to my experience.

"Spinal injuries are a devastating situation that makes you rethink and

"readjust your life in many different ways.

"And we both endured our rehabilitation in the same hospital,

"nearly 30 years apart.

"I think the word most appropriate to this after hospital experience

"is transform.

"I'm aware that one of the pastimes you enjoyed before your injury

"was to push your body physically by running.

"And I'm aware that you wish to do this once again.

"You miss the buzz you used to get from exercise.

"I would like to make that dream a reality..."

-I can't...

-Are you all right?

-Yeah.

-Do you want me to finish it off for you?

No, I'll do it. All right.

"I'd like to make that dream a reality by giving you

"a hand propelled cycle...

"that would fit directly to your own chair."

Sorry. Can you read it?

Yes, of course I will. Are you OK?

I didn't intend to make you cry.

"And to make those hills easier,

"it'll have an electric boost to keep you ahead of your husband,

"just like I do with my 11-year-old son.

"I hope you'll accept my gift

"and that it will give you a little bit of that independence back.

"Enjoy the new-found freedom that your cycle will give you.

"Please keep me updated with your travels."

-Thank you so much.

-Hopefully one day, you'll do that Austria trip.

Oh, yeah. I'd love to. You don't think I'll be fast enough, do you?

We can't fit it to your chair today because it takes

a half-hour modification.

But I brought one along

just so you know what it's like.

-Yeah?

-And, um...

Can I give you a hug?

Of course you can.

No, he's going, he's going.

I'm not going anywhere.

I can give you a big hug.

Thank you so much.

You're... You're welcome.

You're absolutely, totally deserving of it.

You're working towards this level of independence, and,

you know, you really are pushing those boundaries.

And it's a terrible time that people go through with the spinal injury.

I've done it.

Although I was 17 and you're kind of a bit older,

and you kind of understand the psychological reasons

why exercise might be good.

That means so much to me, really.

-Good, good.

-It feels like, you know, freedom.

Stewart's mum Joyce is on hand to present Susan with her

exciting, life-changing gift.

It's a snazzy bit of kit, isn't it?

It's amazing.

Yeah.

-Pleased to meet you.

-Pleased to meet you.

This is Mum - Joyce.

-Susan.

-Nice to meet you.

-So...

-I wish I could clip it on now, but I know I can't.

You can clip it onto another chair, because I've brought one along,

because I kind of thought you might be a little bit excited

to give it a go. I've also brought mine along.

-All right.

-So if you fancy it,

we'll do a little bit of riding in the park.

You're going to... That's it. Let it drop.

Drop it. Are you ready to rock and roll?

-I am, yeah.

-Crack on. Right.

It just makes you want to go faster, doesn't it?

You can do some hills in a minute.

Brilliant.

I just can't describe it.

And that's just in slow mode.

How does it feel?

So much fun.

It just gave me a buzz.

-Do you want to go faster now, Susan?

-I would. I'm scared of knocking anybody over.

You won't knock anybody over.

-Brilliant.

-We can do some really steep hills if you want.

Yeah.

I think she does.

Listen, I'll leave you guys to it.

-You probably want to go faster, don't you?

-I do. I do.

-Well, you enjoy it.

-Yeah?

-And lovely to meet you.

-Sorry to surprise you.

-Nice to meet you.

-And you as well.

-Stewart, top man.

-Cheers. Thanks, mate.

-All the best.

I could feel the emotions really taking over.

I think my body has just stopped shaking.

But, er, it's...

It's wonderful.

She was bamboozled.

She hadn't a clue. She hadn't a clue what was coming.

It's just amazing.

I keep looking at Stewart, I can't believe that he chose me.

I feel really happy to be able to change somebody's life.

I never imagined I'd be doing something like this one day.

When John says, "I'm just going on a bike ride,"

I'll be able to say, "Well, I'm coming with you now."

It's going to be great. We can go out together.

That future that we've planned for seems, er...

..a reality now.

Meeting Stewart and Susan has been so inspirational.

You know, they've both had to face disaster in their lives.

It would have been so easy for them to give up.

But they didn't. It's incredible what a positive spirit can achieve.

And now, with the new bike attachment,

there is no stopping Susan.

What a life changer.

It's been such an honour to meet them both.