’EastEnders’ star Adam Woodyatt has revealed how his son was left fighting for his life in a coma after being hit by a car.
Sam Woodyatt was mowed down by the vehicle as he crossed a road in London back in September, and was subsequently airlifted to hospital.
His father Adam, who plays Ian Beale on the BBC One soap, told of how he underwent five hours of surgery to “put him back together”, and has spent the last two months in a wheelchair.
The pair are now planning to run the London Marathon to help raise money for the London Air Ambulance service, after Sam walked unaided for the first time last Friday (18 November).
Writing on his Just Giving page, Adam revealed they had actually planned to take on the 26 mile challenge before Sam’s accident, but had been spurred on by recent events.
“Having been an ambassador for the Air Ambulance Service for many years, I wanted to more actively fund raise now that both of my children have gone to university,” he explained.
“I then talked it through with my son Sam in mid September and we came up with the idea of him running it and me walking it as a kind of tortoise and the hare to show the difference in transfer times between an Ambulance and an Air Ambulance.”
Detailing how Sam’s accident affected their plan, he continued: “Thursday 29th September, Sam was crossing the road and got hit by a car. The London Air Ambulance responded, treated him at roadside, put him into an induced coma and took him to the Royal London Hospital.
“I’m not going to go into all the details, that’s Sam’s business but the operation to put him back together took five hours.
“Up until last Monday he was in a wheelchair, on Tuesday he started on crutches, yesterday, Friday 18th November, he was walking up a staircase unaided.
“His recovery has been amazing and we are going to continue with the original plan,” he added.
You can donate to Adam and Sam’s cause on their Just Giving page.