Hello! And welcome to my website: danieleley.org is a simple site about my past experiences, present situation and interests and future aspirations. Please feel free to leave comments, suggestions or questions in my guest book or my blog page but please no abuse ;-)

In September 2009 I moved to Cali, the third largest city in Colombia to start a job as an English literature teacher in a bilingual college. On New Year's Day 2010 while on holiday in the Colombian Amazon my life was turned upside down after I broke my neck diving into a shallow river. I suffered what is known as a complete C4/C5 Lesion on my spinal column which left me paralysed from the chest down.

After spending two months in intensive care in hospital in Bogota, the capital of Colombia I was flown back to England in an air ambulance to the Stoke Mandeville Hospital in order to receive treatment for my injuries and intensive rehabilitation. In November I moved to a continuing care home in Godalming, the town where I grew up, where I continue to receive intensive physiotherapy in order to maximize my physical potential.

I have been moved and inspired by so many people since my accident including family and friends who have come out in force to support me. However, perhaps more overwhelming has been the quantity of people previously unknown to me who got behind me after hearing about my accident. I have drawn much strength from such an incredible response and the support I receive continues to spur me on, especially during my most testing times. I am extremely grateful to all those individuals, many of whom I still don't know personally, who have shown such solidarity in during difficult times for me.

An inevitable result of such an injury is that one hears about people who have overcome huge adversity to go on and achieve great things in life. Such stories have inspired me to pursue my dream of setting up a foundation for disadvantaged children and teenagers from marginalised communities in Colombia.

One year since my accident, I finally got round to making this website, I hope you enjoy it!