Wishing a very happy birthday to our 2016 scholar, Tom!
From everyone at Flying Scholarships for Disabled People, we hope you have a fantastic day.
Tom’s story is one of extraordinary courage. After falling 50ft down a stairwell, he broke his spine in five places, spent weeks in a coma, and was left paralysed from the mid‑torso down. His life changed overnight. He had to relearn everything — speaking, eating, washing, dressing — while letting go of the house, car, work and the skiing he loved.
But even in the hardest moments, one passion stayed with him: flying. Tom had joined the Air Cadets at 13 and treasured every moment he’d spent in the air. After his injury, he assumed flying — like skiing — was something he’d never experience again as a wheelchair user.
FSDP helped change that and Tom has been inspiring us ever since.
Here’s to you, Tom — your resilience, your spirit, and the skies you refused to give up on.
