Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Liam’s daring 80ft abseil
11-year-old amputee raises fantastic £400
A daring stunt proved to be plain- abseiling for a young Coatbridge amputee.
Brave Liam Brown, 11, who was born with bones missing in his right leg, recently abseiled 80ft down the face of the Resonance Capital building at Atlantic Quay in Glasgow.
The plucky youngster raised £400 through sponsorship for the Finding Your Feet charity – which helps individuals who have experienced physical trauma – when he joined other amputees to take part in last week’s event.
Townhead Primary pupil Liam completed the abseil wearing his artificial limb, and was thrilled with his effort.
He told the Advertiser: “It was really good fun.
“I was a bit nervous in the morning but when I got up to the top of the building I felt fine.
“It was really cool up there because I could see all around Glasgow and everyone at the bottom looked so small.”
Liam’s mum, Marie Ferguson, was very proud of her son’s fearless attitude.
She said: “I found out about the event in April and asked Liam if he’d want to take part.
“He immediately said ‘ yes’ so I announced it on Facebook and he started getting his sponsorships together.
“Liam was pretty agitated on the morning of the abseil but his nerves soon disappeared − unlike mine.
“I was terrified at first but watching him come down the building made me so proud.
“The first thing I did when he finished was run over and give him a big hug.”
Liam was born with a rare condition called pseudoarthrosis which means he was born with bone fractures in his fibia and tibia that had very little, or no, chance of mending.
He underwent two unsuccessful operations to try to fuse the bones together, before Marie opted for amputation when Liam was just three-years-old.
Marie added: “It was the biggest and hardest decision I’ve ever had to make.
“The alternative was another operation which would have ended up continually causing Liam more pain as we would have had to keep tightening a frame which kept his two bones in place.
“The care aspect was a big change and watching him in pain was hard.
“He had never walked when he got his artificial limb, then just two days later he had taken his first steps.
“He didn’t need any physio or anything. It was amazing.”
Despite his disability, Liam says he can live his life to the full and even wants to take on a higher abseil challenge.
The young daredevil said: “I’d really like to do it again, this time from 100ft.
“I would maybe get nervous before it but when I get to the top I would be fine.
“I’m just the same as everyone else. Being an amputee doesn’t change who I am.
“I get on well in school and I can play with everyone and take part in sports.
“I’ve made friends before who have had no idea about my leg until I tell, or show, them. “I’m no different to anyone else.” To learn more about Find Your Feet visit www.find-your-feet.org