Five members of staff from Ballyclare High School will be completing a 90 mile cycle around Lough Neagh in support of former pupil Dave Hollinger who is recovering from a brain stem stroke.
The staff will be putting their best pedalling feet forward in Lap The Lough this Sunday.
Dave Hollinger fell in a skiiing accident and later went on to suffer a brain stem stroke, leaving him trapped in his own body.
The husband of Hannah and dad-of-two was working as a British Mountain Guide when the accident occurred on March 11, 2018.
After the accident, Dave wrote: To say our world has been turned on its head would be a mild understatement.
While I’ve not lost any cognitive function my motor control was reduced to blinking. As [my wife] Hannah keeps the show on the road in the most humbling way imaginable my role has been reduced to fighting for every bit of motor function I can get back.
It is a huge mountain to climb and I am still at the bottom – but climbing mountains is what I do.
When the accident happened, Dave was able to get back on his feet but he was aware he was injured and needed to be immobilised until he arrived at hospital.
Medical scans confirmed he had a fractured vertebrae.
The fracture was stable however, and the spinal cord was undamaged. A full recovery was anticipated until Dave suffered the brain stem stroke caused by whiplash.
Dave continues to overcome the damage caused by the stroke and is fighting his battle with courage.
If you want to support the Ballyclare High team, you can donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/inspired-by-dave
All set for a relaxing Bank Holiday weekend? This Sunday, five members of staff will be completing @lapthelough -a…
Posted by Ballyclare High School – Official on Friday, 23 August 2019