Teen hit twice by train 'had skull smashed into pieces like jigsaw' but survived

29 January 2024 , 12:18

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Barry in hospital during his recovery (Image: Daily Record)

A teenage boy who was left paralysed with his skull like a "jigsaw puzzle" from a train accident is making a remarkable recovery.

Barry Wallace, 13, was out with pals at Prestwick Town Station, Ayrshire, when a train's metal footstep clipped his leg and knocked him onto the platform in January, 2021. He was then struck in the head by another metal footstep. The teenager was left paralysed and his skull was shattered so badly medics described it as a jigsaw puzzle with 10 separate pieces. Three years on from the tragedy his mum Emma Wallace has praised miracle-working medics for saving her son's life.

The 41-year-old, from Ayr, said: "It is three years on since Barry's accident and it is still incredibly difficult to put our gratitude for everyone at the hospital into words. The support that the Ward 3A staff and the trauma team gave both me and Barry was unbelievable. And as for his surgeon, Roddy, we still can't believe what he did for Barry. We're eternally grateful. Our thanks go to everyone involved." Barry was taken to Glasgow's Royal Hospital for Children where Neurosurgeon, Roddy O'Kane worked through the night to save his life.

Barry Wallace was left with a shattered skull (Daily Record)

Medics had to remove the top of his skull to let his brain injuries heal. His injuries were so severe, his bone fragments were placed inside his abdomen to keep them alive before further surgery. Mr O'Kane explained: "The priority was to let Barry's brain swell so that it could heal. We needed to remove all the fragments of his shattered skull to allow it to do this so he was without the top of his skull for a few weeks.

A scan of Barry Wallace's reconstructed skull (Daily Record)

"We placed these bone fragments inside of Barry's abdomen to keep them clean and alive while this healing took place over a few weeks. Barry had also broken three of the bones in his spinal column, in the thoracic spine area so he was wearing a neck brace."

Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him

Barry has made a remarkable recovery (Daily Record)

After surgery Barry pushed through rehab and after a few weeks began to have movement in his limbs. He then underwent surgery to have his skull put back together and spent eight weeks in hospital.

His mum Emma says her son, who returned to school one month after being discharged from hospital, has a new found zest for life despite his ongoing paralysis. "Barry never complained once. He put everything into his rehab and worked hard with the medical teams to push himself", she told the Daily Record.

"He returned to school in May while in a wheelchair, getting a taxi every day as his transport. By October, he was walking to school and back to being active and having fun with his friends. He just loves life. There's no other way to explain it. He continues to have limited movement in his left arm, but he just gets on with it. He is so resilient."

Rory Cassidy