Adam Lanceley was told he would never walk or talk again - so the inspirational singer-songwriter ran a marathon, wrote music and sang.
Following a near-fatal accident the day before his 10th birthday, Adam suffered a severe brain injury, a smashed pelvis and two broken legs.
His life was changed forever on a road in France with his parents when a jeep came out of nowhere and crashed into Adam’s side of the car.
He said: “I don’t really remember it, I just know what I’ve been told- all I remember is being petrified of going back to school afterwards.”
Adam, from Putney, was in a coma for three weeks during which time doctors told his parents he would probably die and, even if he survived, he would be in care for the rest of this life.
He remembers somehow getting wind of what the doctors were saying and his response to this was: “I will show them.”
And he did- Adam is completely self-sufficient, frequently takes part in 10K runs and has done the London Marathon.
A gruelling but rewarding experience, he advises: “You have to try - even if you fail, at least you have tried.”
Although Adam has accomplished unbelievable feats, it was far from plain sailing for him after the accident.
He had to re-learn everything -from walking to talking to social skills - and he suffered from severe depression in his adolescent years.
He said: “It was awful; I developed terrible OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder).
“Physical injuries are much easier than depression because people can see it - they can help.
“I felt completely locked-in and no one knew.”
Although Adam, now 35, still experiences bouts of depression, he has found an inspired way to relieve the mental anguish - and that is music.
To try to deal with his mental health problems he began writing down his feelings and thoughts.
He said: “I still had loads of issues I needed to resolve and my OCD started making me wanting to rhyme every line.”
While he was working part-time in a bar he expressed his interest in music to a music teacher who also worked there and they began working together to structure Adam’s music.
He said: “It all started falling into place and then I realised I could do it on my own.”
In Richmond College when he was 21 he met a “talented and committed” sound engineer and one thing led to another and he started recording music, which has been described as “intriguing and genre-bending”.
Speaking about the obstacles he faces with his mental health he said: “If I didn’t have these emotions I would never have started writing music, it’s both a way to take a weight off myself and share something with the world.”
Along with making music Adam fundraises for the Brain and Spine Foundation, a charity for people who suffer from neurological and spine conditions.
He said: “If it weren’t for the Brain and Spine Foundation I would be nowhere- I would still be in a bed.
“If my accident had been 10 years before I wouldn’t have lived and if it had been 10 years after my recovery would been much better.”
He speaks about how much treatment has come along but acknowledges that there is much more work to be done: “That’s why I want to keep supporting the Brain and Spine Foundation.”
To donate to the Brain and Spine Foundation:www.brainandspine.org.uk
To listen to Adam Lanceley’s latest album Postcards From Then: soundcloud.com/adam-129087330
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