Medic said I’ll never walk again but I will, vows determined Nathan

A trust fund has been set up for a 24-year-old Corkman who is determined to walk again despite being told by doctors this will never happen.

Nathan Kirwan was due to start as an engineer on a cruise ship next month after graduating from the National Maritime College of Ireland. However, he suffered a neck break as a result of a fall on Jun 3.

A past pupil of Carrigaline Community School, he spent nearly two months in the spinal unit of the Mater Hospital. He shared a ward with Limerick jockey JT McNamara, who suffered a neck injury at Cheltenham that resulted in paralysis.

At the hospital, Nathan met with a spinal injury consultant. “She diagnosed me with a C4 spinal cord injury and told me I would not walk again. But I don’t believe her. I will walk again,” said Nathan.

Further trauma hit the family at the time. Nathan’s father Gerry, who is being treated for liver cancer, was to fly back from Switzerland to be at his son’s side.

However, he suffered cardiac arrest in the airport and was rushed to hospital in Geneva and put in a medically-induced coma.

Fortunately, Gerry’s condition improved and he was to travel home last week.

Nathan remains in the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dún Laoghaire.

He has started a blog — nathansrecoveryblog.wordpress.com — to track his recovery and the Nathan Kirwan Trust has been established to raise funds for his continued rehabilitation.

* Donations are being sought for the trust at Bank of Ireland Carrigaline. Account name: Nathan Kirwan Trust. Account number: 39445576, sort code 902979,