A young Edinburgh man has been left paralysed from the neck down after suffering a freak paddle boarding accident while on holiday with his family.
Michael Wells, 28, suffered the tragic injuries after heading to Hungary along with his parents and siblings to enjoy his cousin's wedding last month.
A lover of the outdoors, Michael had been out on the water with his mum in Lake Balaton when he broke his neck after diving into the water.
READ MORE - West Lothian mum suffers early miscarriage five years after stillbirth tragedy
Offering his mum a shot of the board before diving in, Michael had hit his head off of the seabed, causing the life changing injuries, and was quickly noticed floating in the water a few moments later.
A former Edinburgh student and just two weeks away from starting a new job in the capital, Michael, originally from the Borders, will now require round the clock care for the rest of his life.
The Daily Record reports that Michael later told his family: "I heard and felt my neck break when my head hit the bottom.
"I couldn't move my arms of my legs. I knew I was paralysed and I thought I was going to drown. Somehow, I just told myself to hold my breath.
Michael's dad Andy began giving his son mouth-to-mouth after he stopped breathing on the beach. His mum Christina, an NHS nurse, and sister Seòna performed chest compressions in a desperate bid to keep him alive while waiting for paramedics.
From there, Michael was taken by emergency helicopter to an ICU unit at a hospital in Győr and sedated. His devastated family were then told he was paralysed from the neck down. Medics say he won't regain movement in his arms or his legs.
Seòna told the Record: "It was so traumatic for us all - watching this happen to Michael. It has been hard to process.
"It was a freak accident, he's been very unlucky. We all felt we were living someone else's life for a few weeks.
"We could see he was terrified he was going to die. He mouthed at one point to us, 'I don't want to slip away'."
"We were only allowed to visit for an hour at a time at first. There were no English-speaking nurses, it was really terrifying for him."
Kept in Hungary for two weeks, Michael was then able to be medically transferred back to Scotland, where he was admitted to the National Spinal Injuries Unit at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, where he remains.
However, despite the horrifying ordeal, Michael's family explained his attitude has been amazing, with the 28-year-old desperate to find a new way to carry on.
With a long road to recovery ahead, the family have launched a fundraiser to try and cover some of the costs that they and Michael will face in the coming weeks and months.
"Life was all just coming together for him," Seòna said. "He had been waiting to work in engineering for a while and he got the job he wanted, in the company he wanted, but our amazing, adventurous brother’s life changed forever in an instant.
"No longer able to climb, swim and explore. No longer able to do the things he loved. And my parents will now dedicate the rest of their lives caring for Michael. Despite his paralysis I'm amazed at Michael's spirit. He is thankful he is alive and wants to go on.
"As tragic as his injury is, we very nearly lost him which would have been unbearable. We're incredibly lucky my parents were there. He still has a long slow road ahead of him, but we will be with him for every part of his journey."
A fundraiser has been set up to help to help support Michael's rehabilitation and future. Click here to donate.
READ MORE:
We tried driving an Edinburgh Tram and there is more to it than meets the eye
Edinburgh motorist films queue 'for miles' on busy road due to weekend closure
Edinburgh activists cover Waitrose aisle in milk as shoppers watch on
Elderly West Lothian dog searching for forever home where she can 'go for naps'
Family demand refund after 'holiday from hell' saw dirty rooms and sewage smells
