It was just 20 seconds into 17-year-old Matt King's first professional rugby match when another player crunched into him.
He suffered terrible damage to his spine that left him
permanently paralysed from the neck down and dependent on a ventilator
to breathe.
But five years on, the 22-year-old has graduated with a
first-class law degree and won a training contract with a top London
firm of solicitors - which specialises in personal injury claims.
Mr King's injuries are even more severe than those of Daniel
James, 23, who ended his life at the Swiss Dignitas clinic after being
paralysed in a rugby training session.
Yesterday he spoke of his initial devastation before deciding to face his nightmare head-on.
'I knew I had broken my neck straight away,' he said. 'The
paramedics were asking me to move my toes and I couldn't. It was
completely terrifying.
'My first thought was "Let me die" because my vision of what my life would be like was awful.
'But I realised in hospital that I'm still young and if I was
going to lead a meaningful life I would need to get an education.'
Mr King's life was turned upside down as he played for the London
Broncos Academy under-18s team in April 2004 when another player
accidentally kneed him in the neck.
He spent the next nine months in Stoke Mandeville Spinal Unit.
'That was the worst time of my life. I felt and experienced
things that I wouldn't wish on any human being,' said Mr King, who lives
with his parents Glenda and Chris in Langford, near Biggleswade in
Bedfordshire.
Mr King (centre, wearing black) playing rugby before his accident
'It was such a bleak time that I decided to do as much as I could
when I got out of hospital. I had to think what I could do as
effectively as before. In law, you only need to use your brain.'
He returned to school in March 2005 and gained A grades in A-level history and AS geography.
He went on to Hertfordshire University, and during his three-year
course he completed two weeks work experience with law firm Stewarts in
central London.
They have offered him a training contract
which he is due to start in 2011, after he finishes a legal practice
course at the university.
Mr King has two full-time carers and a 'scribe' who takes notes
for him during lectures. At home he uses voice recognition technology to
write essays.
In 2007 he became the first quadraplegic to complete the New York
Marathon in 2007, using an electric wheelchair controlled by a joystick
device that he moved with his chin. He took six and a half hours to
complete the course and raised £10,000 for charity.
He also acts as a mentor with the Back Up Trust charity for people who have recently sustained spinal injuries.
His mother said: 'He was very low at first. He just wanted to
learn how to live with his condition so he could get out of hospital.
'We never believed he would get this far. We are very proud of
him - he never fails to amaze us with what he's going to do next.'
Kevin Rogers, senior lecturer in law at Hertfordshire University,
said: 'Matthew has been an outstanding student and I'm confident he
will go on to have a great career.'
At Stewarts Law, training principal Julian Chamberlayne said:
'The way he has overcome his disability is incredible and his
razor-sharp intellect make him an asset to the firm.
'We represent a lot of people with spinal injuries and we think he will have a great understanding of their needs.'
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