Alan is flying high after A-level success

Alan is flying high after A-level success

A STUDENT who defied expectations after a life-changing accident is celebrating A-level success - and preparing to take his passion for aviation to the next level.

Ripon Grammar School student Alan Nowicki was just 15 when a freak accident involving a pull-up exercise bar left him paralysed from the waist down and forced him to rethink his childhood ambition of becoming an RAF pilot.

But rather than allowing the accident to define his future, Alan has continued to pursue his love of flying and now hopes to become an aircraft designer.

Having achieved strong results in maths, physics and chemistry, the 18-year-old has now secured his place to study aerospace engineering at Loughborough University.

He has already passed his driving test in a specially adapted car and, following a work experience placement at Yorkshire Gliding Club near Thirsk, has taken to the skies in a glider.

Alan said: “I am really happy with my results and that I’ve secured a place at my first-choice university. It feels really good knowing that the things I thought weren’t possible after the accident still are in some way and it has given me a new perspective on things."

Alongside his A-level studies, Alan has maintained a demanding programme of physiotherapy, completing around three hours of exercises six days a week, while continuing to enjoy school, friends and the gym.

His mother, Kamila, said that seeing Alan healthy, independent and continuing with his education was a huge achievement for the family.

“Much as I believed in him it was a stressful time waiting for the results, as finding the university with the right accessibility features suitable for his needs wasn’t easy. Once found, the pressure and hopes were very high.:"

Now, with his A-levels behind him and university ahead, she is proud that he is taking another major step towards the future he once feared might no longer be possible.

His determination to keep pursuing his ambitions, as he prepares to spread his wings in the next chapter of his journey, has inspired staff and students alike at RGS.

Alan is flying high after A-level success