A 22-year-old woman who suffered catastrophic brain injuries after being kidnapped three years ago has taken her first steps, her mother has said.
Angel was grabbed and bundled into a silver transit van in September 2020 by her controlling ex-boyfriend, Chay Bowskill, 20.
She later fell head first onto a dual carriageway from the van which was travelling at 60mph, leaving her paralysed and with severe brain damage.
Following the horror ordeal, the 22-year-old’s parents were told she would not survive but her mother, Nikki, 48, has revealed Angel, who is in a wheelchair, has now taken her first steps with the help of physiotherapists.
“You could see it in her eyes, how hard she was trying,” Nikki told the Daily Mail. “She was shaking all over and her left leg kept getting stuck, but she was focusing with every bit of strength she had.
“Anything Angel sets her mind to, she does. She tries so hard and she doesn’t give up and she did it. I could not be prouder.”
Due to the injuries, Angel lives in a rehabilitation centre while her parent’s renovate the family home to accommodate her needs.
She is defying expectations for her recovery, and Angel can complete everyday tasks such as making a cup of tea while she can also use an iPad to write and uses sign language to tell her parents she loves them.
Nikki added: “She might not be able to talk, but my Angel is definitely in there.
“You can see it in her eyes. If she finds something funny she’ll make a noise and her shoulders will lift.
“She went to her friend’s 21st birthday the other day, and we’ve taken her to the pub.”
Bowskill was sentenced to seven-and-half years in prison for kidnap, coercive and controlling behaviour, and perverting the course of justice.
Last May, the Court of Appeal increased the sentence to 12 years after they concluded the original term for kidnap was not long enough.
Bowskill claimed Angel had fallen or jumped from the van as it travelled at 60mph, but her her parents believe she was pushed.
Angel’s cousin has set up a GoFundMe page to support her recovery https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-angel-lynns-recovery.
