Lucky to be alive for Christmas (From Chard & Ilminster News)

Lucky to be alive for Christmas

8:25am Wednesday 27th December 2006 in Chard By Joanna Glover

A CHARD man has said he feels "lucky to be alive" after being left fighting for his life earlier this year.

Christian Guppy, 22 of Hornsbury Hill, suffered major head injuries and bleeding in the brain after being beaten up by unknown assailants in Chard town centre in the early hours of July 1 on Fore Street.

But after a miraculous recovery, he is well on the mend.

Christian told the News: "I'm just getting on with life and not thinking about what happened.

"By rights I should be a vegetable or dead, specialists look at my records and tell me I'm very lucky."

At the time consultants predicted that Christian would be in hospital for at least two months, but amazingly he was recovering at home just over a week after suffering the horrific injuries.

He said: "I think coming home and being looked after here helped me recover faster, with everyone's support and help there was nothing better to help me get well again.

"I think being in a hospital ward would have made me feel like a victim, but being at home meant I could start getting back to normal."

With support from his family and friends Christian, who works as an engineer at Agusta Westland in Yeovil, has beaten the odds to make a full recovery without any major health problems.

"My sense of smell has gone but considering most people thought I was going to die, it is only a minor thing," he added.

"Everyone at work has been really great, I have had lots of visitors and cards, and there was even a collection for me."

During Christian's recovery, his mother, Mary took time off work from Somerset Care to look after him and said she was overwhelmed at the help and support they received.

She said: "If it hadn't been for the paramedics quick response and support of a lot of people, we wouldn't be where we are now.

"Everyone has been very supportive and we can't thank the NHS and everyone else enough for what they have done for us."

The incident has had a positive effect on Christian who said it has changed his outlook on life, and made him appreciate the people around him.

He added: "I want to thank everyone who has shown me support, especially my family, friends and everyone at my work."

POLICE confirmed this week that no one has been charged in relation to the incident.