Having been brought up in a military family, Paul joined the RAF when he was 16 and commissioned as an Air Traffic Control Officer in 1999, aged 20. Paul was injured falling from about 30ft on an obstacle course in January 2007. Initially he was diagnosed with a sprained back and had some physiotherapy carrying on with life for 4 years, including a tour of duty in Basra. Paul's back seemed to be getting worse, so he saw a surgeon in February 2011, who told him surgery was his only option. He ended up having 4 operations over a period of 9 months, culminating in metalwork in his back slipping and damaging his spinal cord. Initially, he was left paralysed from the knees down, but regained function in his right leg quickly, although it remains weak and his left leg is still partially paralysed. He has had extensive rehabilitation at Headley Court, the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre, and is leaving the RAF far earlier than anticipated through a medical discharge on 30th September 2014.
After an extensively emotional and arduous rehabilitation, finding new ways of coping and doing things has proved to be paramount in dictating Paul's rehabilitation. Returning to work as an Air Traffic Controller proved to be impossible and it was realising that he had to take control of his own rehabilitation that became a turning point in Paul's life.
During this time Paul has written a book 'Resilience Recapture - Achieving Revitalisation Through Recovery' and knows that the lessons he has learned during his military career and recovery from injury can be applied to anybody's personal or professional lives to develop tools that will enable true resilience in you, your team or business.
Accustomed to speaking in front of large audiences including high ranking Military Officers and civilian corporations, Paul has had the opportunity to represent Help for Heroes and deliver talks of resilience and motivation through recovery.
Paul knows that through recovery you can be revitalised and that there is life after life changing injury/circumstance. He also knows that he can inspire, educate, motivate and entertain any audience with his story
Resilience & Motivation
Overcoming Change
Mechanisms of Recovery
Life after Life Changing Injury
Leadership in Crisis
Paul recently spoke at our Joint Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Conference in Birmingham about Vocational Rehabilitation in the Armed Forces. He spoke alongside Lee Cairns, his Peer Support Officer whilst at Headley Court.
Their powerful presentation had the audience captivated from the beginning conveying key messages of the importance of self-affirmation and using personal experiences for the greater good.
The presentation had a really positive impact on the audience and the feedback from delegates was excellent.
Following his injury, Paul has recaptured his resilience and now he wants to use his own experience to help others do the same. He is a true inspiration.
Emily Suffield, Headway - The Brain Injury Association
A dynamic and versatile speaker, Josh is able to draw upon his experience and expertise to give inf…