Teen footballer who lost legs happy to be alive

A promising teenage footballer who mislaid some little legs aft a car clang has told however helium is conscionable thankful to beryllium alive.

Adam Golebiewski was lone 17 erstwhile the clang happened successful Macduff, Aberdeenshire, conscionable a fewer weeks ago, and was told the treble amputation was needed.

He celebrated his 18th day during his ongoing rehabilitation successful infirmary successful Aberdeen, and is owed to beryllium fitted for prosthetics successful the coming days.

The football-obsessed goalkeeper - described by his squad manager arsenic having large imaginable - told BBC Scotland News: "Everyone has down days, but I'll effort to support smiling. I americium blessed to beryllium here."

Apprentice builder Adam, from Banff, was a rider successful a car alongside friends erstwhile it crashed successful the aboriginal hours of Sunday 8 September.

He was taken to hospital, wherever his legs were amputated beneath the knee.

Police inquiries into the clang successful Macduff's Union Road - which near Adam and 3 different teenagers injured - stay ongoing.

Adam - 1 of 4 siblings - is present undergoing intensive rehabilitation astatine Woodend Hospital successful Aberdeen.

On his archetypal play backmost location conscionable a fewer days ago, helium went successful his wheelchair to ticker teammates from his inferior broadside Deveronside triumph a match.

He besides managed a sojourn to spot his gran, arsenic good arsenic welcoming a houseful of well-wishing visitors.

Adam spoke astir his roadworthy to betterment during a league with orthopaedic rehabilitation physiotherapist Owen Cairns.

He does not retrieve the mishap itself.

"I retrieve waking up conscionable earlier I was distant to spell into surgery," helium recalled.

"Somebody was beside my bed, she explained what happened, 'I americium atrocious to accidental you were successful a truly atrocious mishap and you are going to suffer your legs'."

He said helium phoned his mum and apologised for what was happening.

Adam said helium remembered waking up and seeing family, his shot manager and his priest.

"It's really making maine a spot emotional, I didn't cognize I had specified large support," helium said.

"A batch worse could person happened. I americium gladsome we are each inactive here, inactive speaking."

He is present moving connected his precocious assemblage strength, and taking immoderate painkillers erstwhile successful discomfort.

"I don't hatred crying, but I conscionable don't similar being emotional," helium said. "I person had a teardrop to my eye. It's been a agelong fewer weeks - precise positive, but besides frustrating."

Adam said his hopes were "really positive" for the adjacent signifier of his life.

"I americium inactive a mean guy," helium said. "I americium conscionable going with the travel I suppose."

He said helium realised it was a affirmative the amputation was beneath the knee, successful presumption of his aboriginal mobility, alternatively than supra the knee.

"I would accidental I americium rather fortunate but besides astatine the aforesaid clip not fortunate if you cognize what I mean."

He was devastated his caller Deveronside nine tracksuit was damaged beyond repair successful the aftermath of the crash.

"I was raging, I had conscionable got it," helium said. "That's what I'd been moving for."

However, helium was presented with a astonishment caller 1 to support his spirits up.

"Thank goodness," helium said. "My look conscionable lit up."

Mum Joanne said Adam has been "amazing" successful his response.

"He's kept everyone other truly upbeat," she explained of her son, whose siblings are Millie, 16, Sophia, 19, and 21-year-old Michael.

"You can't assistance but grin on with him. He's a affirmative kid, taking a time astatine a time. I don't cognize wherever helium gets it, arsenic I astir apt would person fallen to pieces."

Dad Adam Snr added: "He’s not fto it get him down, and conscionable wants to spell forward."

Deveronside manager Colin Legge described Adam arsenic an "inspirational" young antheral who had large goalkeeping potential.

He said: "The crippled helium played connected the time of the mishap helium was brilliant, we won 2-1, helium was a large portion of that with his saves.

"He came to our lucifer astatine the play successful his wheelchair, erstwhile we scored the players each ran up to him for precocious fives."

The manager said Adam's cognition to beingness helped to enactment things successful perspective.

"We mislaid a crippled and I was successful a atrocious mood," helium said. "And I said 'get a grip'.

"The full nine is truthful arrogant of him, he's truthful positive, he's got immoderate mentality. What an unthinkable lad."

Adam is owed to beryllium fitted for prosthetics arsenic aboriginal arsenic adjacent week.

The optimistic teen said helium is acceptable for the adjacent situation of learning to locomotion again, and seeing what his aboriginal holds.

"I americium the aforesaid guy, but conscionable a wee bitty different," helium said.

"It volition hopefully get easier, I americium conscionable precise thankful for everything.

"It's similar a young kid astatine Christmas, conscionable wanting to get going.

"Everyone says nary symptom nary summation - I'll beryllium alright.

"Football helped maine enactment positive, warring for something, and it's the aforesaid here, I'm warring to get backmost connected my feet arsenic soon arsenic I can."