Ben Fordham met 17-year-old Alex Noble on Saturday at a charity event and was blown away by his zest for life despite being in a wheelchair.

He was 16 when he broke his neck, damaging his spinal cord, doing what he loved best, playing rugby. 

While in rehab, the teenager forged a strong friendship with fellow patient, Tess Moroney, who had also suffered a severe spinal injury in a skiing accident. 

Tess says, “I faced paralysis in my hands, but I was very lucky, I walked out of a spinal ward, which a lot of people don’t do. So every day now I’m dedicated to those who need, literally, a hand.”

She was there to give Alex a hand and the pair would get up to mischief while recovering. 

Tess says, “We were lucky, we were next-door neighbours for quite some time in hospital, so we got to see all the highs and the lows, but I think there’s been more highs for Alex throughout all of this, ironically.”

They have continued their shenanigans and on Saturday night Alex went crowd surfing. 

“I had to do it for the fans live” he says.

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