When BA pilot James Heather fell head-first onto a marble floor, doctors feared he would die and then never walk or talk again. But sixteen years on, James has managed to rebuild his life by learning to do everything again. He told his Inspirational tale to ADAM COURTNEY.

'Walking miracle' is an often used cliché, but never has it been more apt then when describing Fulham man James Heather.

He shouldn't even be alive, let alone be able to walk and talk, after an accident in a Paris hotel left his brain so crushed that doctors were forced to remove part of his skull and store it in his abdomen to keep the bone marrow healthy.

But in an inspirational tale of determination and defiance of medical opinion, James has rebuilt his life and now, amazingly, took on an active role as a volunteer fundraiser with the Hammersmith and Fulham Action on Disability (HAFAD) for 8 years,2006 - 2014.

Now 42, James was a first officer for BA when the accident happened on December 28, 2002. Thinking he was on the ground floor of the hotel, he jumped over a banister unaware of an 18ft drop on to a marble floor and fell on to it head-first.

Skin and hair was all that separated his brain from the open air for three months after his skull was removed to ease swelling on his brain. He was in a coma for six weeks and didn't leave France until his skull was reattached.

"My parents were preparing for the worst," he says. "The doctors told them I might not make it through the night and then that I'd never leave a wheelchair.

"And when I did wake up I was basically a baby again, I had to learn to do everything again."

At the time of the accident, James was the archetypal pilot: suave, charming and with an eye for the ladies.

A love of the good life was one of the main reasons he left a career in recruitment, and it didn't him long to develop a fondness for BA's social scene.

"It was never a major ambition to be a pilot but I could fly before I could drive, which was always a good chat up line for the girls.

"The hours weren't great but I got to go to all these great cities and I loved it. I was quite charming and used to enjoy going out with the stewardesses."

It was this extroverted streak that would ultimately change his life forever. He'd flown to Paris in the afternoon with a friend in the jump seat and, not due to return to Heathrow until the following day, arranged a night out with two stewardesses.

As the foursome went to leave their hotel for dinner, James, thinking they were on the ground floor, decided to jump over a banister to, in his words, show off.

After the months in hospital in Paris, he spent 3 months in Charing Cross hospital, then there was nearly a year in Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow and the Haberdashers House at the Royal Hospital of Neuro Disability in Putney, before he finally returned home in June 2004.

His progress since then has been relentless and truly inspirational. In January, 2011, hours of rehabilitation have allowed him to walk almost normally, and, while his speech is quiet but understandable, and his memory slightly erratic, he is able to hold good conversation and is almost totally independent.

Amazingly, he has even taken to the skies again in a propeller plane and controlled the landing.

His quest to improve will not stop and he refuses to put a limit on what he can achieve.

"Thankfully my parents never told me what the doctors said, and I try not to listen to medics now because of that.

"I remember taking my first steps: I stumbled like I was drunk and only walked about three metres but it was an amazing feeling and ever since then I've thought the sky is the limit.

"There are a lot of things I want to improve on – I can't really crack jokes because I can't talk quickly enough and I'd like to be able to carry things with my right hand while I'm walking, especially on the stairs, and to drink while I'm on the move. Also it's difficult for me to talk in a group when there is background noise.

"It is hard but it's getting less and less so."

The lack of bitterness or regret from James is extraordinary. There's no hankering after his former life, no railing at the cruelty of it all; just an unwavering determination to live the second half of his existence as a better person.

"I'm so much more chilled out now. Before, everything had to be done ASAP and I was inconsiderate. I guess I was always positive but I probably made people who I didn't like feel pretty insignificant.

"I don't miss what I had because I'm not trying to be that person anymore. I've just got a lust for life again because I was so close to losing it."

His attitude has been shaped significantly by AOD (action on disability) and has returned the favour by supporting colleague James Coke in his loyalty card project.

They hope the card will help raise awareness and improve access for the disabled in H&F, while giving discounts to members and trade to business. James has helped lobby more than 270 firms to join the scheme in Fulham alone.

"HAFAD has helped me a lot, it's somewhere safe, productive and positive for disabled people to go and we hope this card can make a massive difference."

Contact

07801 966 514

Jamesdh_35@hotmail.com