A man from Gywnedd will run London Marathon for his brother who was paralysed in a car crash.
When Lloyd Hughes crosses the finish line of this month’s marathon, he knows his youngest brother Harri, who was paralysed in a car crash almost three years ago, will be cheering him on.
Lloyd is the second eldest of four brothers from Dyffryn Ardudwy in Gwynedd, in a close-knit family whose lives changed in an instant one night in August 2022.
Harri, a 20-year-old back seat passenger in a car carrying players from Barmouth & Dyffryn FC, was left paralysed from the waist down after the driver lost control and crashed into a tree on the way home from an away match.
He was airlifted to Stoke Hospital with multiple injuries where he spent the next three months recovering before being transferred to a specialist rehabilitation centre for a further two months of intensive therapy.
Harri had been due to join the army but is now building a different future as a paraplegic. He is a source of inspiration to his loving family.
“You go to bed and everything is OK and then you’re woken up by a call and suddenly your world has changed,” said 27-year-old Lloyd.
“It has been incredibly hard for the whole family but Harri has coped amazingly well. I’m just so proud of him. He never lets you see him down and has adapted to his new life better than a lot of people could or would.”
He added: “As his older brother you want to fix things, and realising that you can’t fix this is heartbreaking. So, running the London Marathon is my way of doing something to help and to honour Harri’s strength and determination.”
Lloyd, who is a PE teacher at Ysgol Uwchradd Tywyn, is taking on the marathon challenge to raise money for Spinal Research, the UK’s leading charity funding medical research around the world to develop new treatments for paralysis caused by a spinal cord injury.
Lloyd said: “Seeing my brother in such pain was incredibly difficult and being unable to help hurt even more.
“This is a huge challenge but nothing compared to the challenges Harri and our family face every single day.”
According to Spinal Research, every two hours someone in the UK is paralysed after a spinal cord injury. It can happen to anyone at any time with devastating consequences.
Spinal Research Chief Executive Louisa McGinn said: “We are so grateful to Lloyd for being part of this year’s incredible TeamSpinal at the London Marathon.
“Tragically, the devastating impact of a spinal cord injury is something that scores of people, and their families, face every week in the UK.
“But, the good news is we are in touching distance of function restoring treatments for paralysed people and so every single donation brings our vision of curing paralysis a step closer.”
Lloyd has set up a fundraising page for people to donate to. To support his fundraising effort, visit https://bit.ly/4llgKQa