Almost two years after he almost died as a result of injuries sustained in a car accident, Wolde Bartley has started to show remarkable signs of recovery. At the start of this year the 25-year-old regained movement in his thumbs. Along with moving his tongue he was able to communicate again with the outside world.

In the past two months the improvements have accelerated to the point where he has control of most of his right hand and forearm, occasionally manages movement in other parts of his body and can also respond to communication through facial movements.

There is still a long way to go for Mr. Bartley, but the rapid progress of the past few months has led to a leading doctor from Boston?s Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital requesting he be brought to the US for specialist therapy treatment. However, even with some of the cost being borne by medical insurance there is still a need for thousands of dollars to allow Mr. Bartley and his full-time carer mom Lauren Wilson to make the journey this summer.

A group of athletes from the Swan?s Running club, headed by club president Otis Robinson, will be raising funds when they compete in this year?s May 24 Marathon Derby. They will be joined by some members of Mr. Bartley?s family.

An early morning traffic collision at the junction of Victoria Street and Court Street in July 2004 left Mr. Bartley, who was a front seat passenger, with life-threatening neck and head injuries.

?They told me they thought he would not make it. The car he was in ran a red light. The others ran off and left him behind,? said Mrs. Wilson.

Wolde was in a critical condition and doctors told her they thought he might only survive a matter of hours. Somehow he beat their worst fears, although for the first five weeks in hospital his condition remained ?touch and go?.

He was in a coma and even when he regained consciousness was paralysed and blind. His sight has returned as has his ability to move parts of his body.

During the early days Mrs. Wilson slept in a car outside the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital?s emergency department for two weeks so that she could be near Wolde and visit him at two hour intervals. Eventually, when the hospital realised how devoted she was and gave her permission to stay at his bedside.

For the next 11 months she learned from nurses how she could care for Wolde and, when fully competent, took the advice of an African doctor and brought her son home because he felt that would be where he?d start to show improvement.

The power of prayer and faith has played a big part in Wolde?s rehabilitation. Prayer scarves are draped over his pillow and famed Pastor Paula White visited from the US to give her own blessing to the young man.

Others have offered their prayers, and Mrs. Wilson said a group of prophets had stated Wolde would soon be making measurable improvement just before he started to make his hand and face movement breakthroughs. There are daily visits from physiotherapists. Milton Hill, a community health home resource aide is a constant helper and has seen the improvements in Mr. Bartley?s condition.

?Last July he was in a vegetative state and then he started to make progress. Every day is not the same, some days he is more active,? he said. ?In January he started to do signals with his thumbs to communicate.

?Since March there has been steady progress. He can signal with his tongue and if he doesn?t like TV he can show us by using his thumbs.?

Mrs. Wilson was close to tears as she expressed her indebtedness to the kindness of local companies, groups, churches and individuals who have rallied with donations including a generator from Basco, air conditioning unit from Alton Wilson, discounted fresh water from Pure Water and money that helps cover the $5,000 a month needed to look after Mr. Bartley.

One person who makes a cash donation each months is Belinda Butterfield. At Christmas St Peter?s Church in St. George? s gave $500 and Mrs. Wilson estimates she has received around $5,000 and $6,000 in donations.

Despite all this she continues to use her savings to ensure all the costs are met.

The prospect of being able to send Wolde to Boston to give him the opportunity to be assisted by some of the best experts in the US is something Mrs. Wilson hopes will become a reality, but she is aware of the expense that would only partially be met through the BF&M health insurance. To keep Mr. Bartley?s remarkable recovery on track Hott 107.5 has opened Fund for Wolde Bartley at the Bank of Bermuda where money can be donated.

If preferred donations can be made directly to Mrs. Wilson. She can be contacted at 236-5463.