• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
21-Year-Old Becomes Brain Injury Ambassador After Suffering Two Strokes At 14

Home> Features

Updated 15:32 16 Feb 2022 GMTPublished 15:31 16 Feb 2022 GMT

21-Year-Old Becomes Brain Injury Ambassador After Suffering Two Strokes At 14

Connor Lynes is urging people to 'believe in themselves' after overcoming numerous obstacles at a young age.

Emily Brown

Emily Brown

Having lost some of his closest family members by the time he was just nine years old, things didn't get much easier for Connor Lynes when he suffered two life-threatening strokes aged 14. Now with a child of his own, he is urging people to never give up.

Connor, who is now 21, was just one year old when his dad died and three when he stopped living with his mum. His grandmother then took over caring for him, and the young boy 'got on with it and pushed forward' until she also sadly passed away.

Connor was nine at the time and remembers how losing his grandma 'hurt more than anything', because he 'actually knew her and saw her as [his] mum'. He'd already gone through so much, but his nana 'always taught [him] to push forward in life' as 'that's how you get to a place you want to be'.

Advert

Connor Lynes (@con_lynes/Twitter)
Connor Lynes (@con_lynes/Twitter)

Speaking to UNILAD, Connor, from Hull, says his losses forced him to mature early and made him 'a lot stronger' when it came to the things he would face later on in life. Little did he know at the time that it would be just a few years until he had to face one of his biggest challenges yet.

When he was 14 years old, Connor was playing a game of rugby when he got tackled by two bigger players. As he fell to the ground, he tore the main artery in his neck, which caused a blood clot resulting in two major strokes.

The strokes affected 'everything' for Connor, leaving him unable to walk, talk and eat. He 'basically couldn't do anything' at a time when his teenage self should have been taking on the world, and it took him nearly a year to get back on his feet and walking for short periods of time.

Advert

He wasn't back in school until a year and a half after suffering the strokes, but during his recovery Connor realised there was hardly anyone under the age of 18 raising awareness of brain injuries in children.

Connor Lynes in hospital after suffering stroke (Supplied)
Connor Lynes in hospital after suffering stroke (Supplied)

Connor decided to shoulder this responsibility himself by becoming an ambassador for brain injury, educating the public that strokes and major brain injuries are not limited to adults, and proving such injuries don't have to be the 'end of the world' for young people. Now 21, Connor's work was recognised when he became a winner of the Diana Legacy Award, which every two years 'celebrates the achievements of 20 outstanding young leaders, visionaries and role models from across the world'.

The Legacy Award describes Connor as 'an incredible role model for determination, resilience, sheer grit, and passion', though he told UNILAD he doesn't 'see [himself] as inspiring'.

Advert

'I just see myself as a lad from Hull who’s trying to help others who have been in the same situations as me,' he said.

Connor Lynes speaking with Prince William (Supplied)
Connor Lynes speaking with Prince William (Supplied)

Reflecting on his receipt of the award, Connor said: 'Winning the Diana Legacy Award was amazing because it showed my work was getting recognition and my word was getting out there. That’s all I wanted.'

He remembers feeling 'shocked' and as though he 'didn't deserve' the award, but his work proves otherwise. Connor has spoken at the House of Lords as well as to hundreds of professionals about his experience in a bid to improve the treatment on offer for other young people with an acquired brain injury, as well as having raised more than £20,000 for the charity Life for a Kid.

Advert

Seven years on from his strokes, Connor still has a blood clot on the brain, which means he will be on medication for his entire life. He continues to experience 'mini strokes', as well as blurred vision, loss of control over his arms and legs and bad headaches.

In spite of these lasting symptoms, Connor's experiences have taught him there's 'always more to life'. Now that he is a father himself, he is determined to 'always be there for [his son] for anything' and to be the 'best dad [he] can be'.

The 21-year-old celebrated the milestone birthday last month after posting a now-viral tweet about how far he has come since his tumultuous childhood.

Advert

He urged people to 'never give up' and 'believe in yourself' in the post, which received thousands of responses from supportive Twitter users. Connor explained that as well as raising his son, he will continue to try and put smiles on the faces of other young children who have shared similar experiences to his own, and 'be there with everything they need in life'.

If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact Headway on 0808 800 2244, or via their email at [email protected]

Featured Image Credit: Supplied

Topics: UK News, Life, Health

Emily Brown
Emily Brown

Emily Brown is UNILAD Editorial Lead at LADbible Group. She first began delivering news when she was just 11 years old - with a paper route - before graduating with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University. Emily joined UNILAD in 2018 to cover breaking news, trending stories and longer form features. She went on to become Community Desk Lead, commissioning and writing human interest stories from across the globe, before moving to the role of Editorial Lead. Emily now works alongside the UNILAD Editor to ensure the page delivers accurate, interesting and high quality content.

Advert

Advert

Advert

  • 21-year-old influencer defends relationship with 16-year-old boyfriend following backlash
  • 8-year-old girl left with brain damage after being kissed on the mouth when she was 2 days old
  • 14-year-old boy dies after 'injecting himself with butterfly remains' in suspected online challenge
  • Yankees star Brett Gardner's 14-year-old son Miller remembered in heartbreaking tribute after his death on vacation

Choose your content:

7 months ago
a year ago
  • 7 months ago

    Flat Earther who wanted to be ‘first woman on the moon’ explains why the globe is a 'lie'

    Shelley Lewis told UNILAD said she considers Flat Earth theory 'scientific fact' because she has 'so much evidence'

    Community
  • a year ago

    Skydiving survivor made one mistake after her parachute failed to open

    Jordan Hatmaker embarked on a jump in November 2021 that would change her life

    Community
  • a year ago

    Survivor of explosion that killed 218 recalls wishing she'd die in 'one piece'

    Cardiologist Rita Badaoui had just finished her shift at a hospital in Beirut when the infamous explosion devastated the city

    Community
  • a year ago

    Student who thought she had a cold ends up in a coma fighting for her life

    Caitlyn Sophie went from a night out with friends and family to knocking on death's door in less than 48 hours

    Community