Mum confident son will walk again

Our hero: Sam Ford regained some use of his arms and legs and can control his wheelchair.

Blainey Woodham

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SAM Ford’s mother Margaret is confident her son will walk again.

The 19-year-old Cabarita surfer has spent the past 11 months in the Gold Coast Hospital recovering from brain injuries he received during an alleged fight in Coolangatta.

“Sam is improving each week, he is just so amazing how he keeps pushing through the barriers,” Mrs Ford said.

“He is our hero.”

And Sam’s baby steps towards recovery will soon see him transferred to the Murwillumbah Hospital.

Sam has regained some movement of his arms and legs and can control his wheelchair.

“Sam’s legs are getting stronger and standing him is getting easier with his balance improving,” Mrs Ford said.

“He will eventually walk, we just know it, but everything takes so much time.”

Mrs Ford said Sam’s right side has improved thanks to botox injections into the muscles.

“We are getting a few more sounds but still only a few words. He is eating more solid foods now. I know he is hanging out to drink some milk. He loves milk.”

Sam’s vision has also been severely damaged.

“He has double vision and has to wear a patch over his eye but thanks to the awesome donation this week of $2000 from the Kingscliff Lions Club we can now get him some special glasses and sunglasses so he won’t have to wear the patch,” his Mum said.

“And thanks to all the fundraising, we will be starting the alterations at home. The lift should be installed in about six weeks which means we will be able to bring him home for overnight stays on the weekends.

“Hopefully, mid October he will be transferred to Murwillumbah Hospital’s rehabilitation unit, which will be so fantastic for us being 15 minutes away instead of one hour.”