Brave York teenager gives his family and supporters the ‘best Christmas present’ (From York Press)

Brave York teenager gives his family and supporters the ‘best Christmas present’

11:02am Saturday 26th December 2009 in

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THE mother of a disabled 13-year-old York boy has said that seeing her son walk unaided for the first time has been the “best Christmas present she could have hoped for.”

Until earlier this month Andrew Fletcher had relied on the help of adults or a walking frame to get him on his feet and walking short distances. However, since he was provided with a specially -constructed tricycle, bought after a fundraising campaign by a family friend, Andrew’s mother Linda said he is now able to walk around his school, Applefields in Burnholme, and continues to go from strength to strength.

She said: “We were getting to ready to take him out in his wheelchair and I saw him out of the corner of my eye take his hand off the wall and he walked over to me. He has never initiated walking himself – it’s always been with someone.”

Mrs Fletcher said she felt a mixture of emotions. “I had a huge lump in my throat and I thought ‘did I just see that?’”, she said.

She believes it was the tricycle, bought earlier this year, which had boosted Andrew’s confidence and independence enough for him to take his first steps alone.

The trike was bought thanks to Dawn Moore, 48, who approached Andrew’s father in their local Sainsbury’s store and asked if they could do anything to help.

A fundraising campaign was launched by Mrs Moore which raised the £1,200 needed to buy it.

Andrew’s mother said: “Dawn is an amazing person who gives so much of herself. We were very touched that Dawn came out to join us when Andrew did his trike ride across the Humber Bridge and we owe them a huge debt of gratitude”

Looking forward to meeting Andrew again, Mrs Moore said: “It will be a bit of an experience to meet him.

“I feel quite privileged to know that I might have played a part in helping him. It will be a brilliant Christmas for him and his family.”

Andrew Fletcher was born eight weeks prematurely and had to undergo numerous operations for a number of physical conditions throughout his early years.

While Mrs Fletcher said she believed the trike had a been a catalyst in her son’s development, she went on to thank the staff at Applefields and Hob Moor Oak School as well as the many medical professionals and complimentary therapists in York and Leeds who had worked with Andrew over the years.

She also thanked everyone who had donated to the campaign to fund the trike.