Darek Fidyka, 40, is believed to be the first person in the world to recover from such chronic injuries after receiving pioneering treatment from University College London. The fireman from Bulgaria severed his spine after being stabbed four years ago, leaving him paralysed from the waist down. Scientists used cells from his nose to repair the broken link on his back in a medical achievement hailed as more impressive than putting a man on the moon.
Amazingly, he has now been able to resume an independent life – walking with a frame and even driving a car – thanks to a revolutionary technique pioneered at University College London. Mr Fidyka, from Bulgaria, suffered damage similar to that of actor Christopher Reeve, whose spine was severed from his skull after he fell off a horse in 1995.