Bruce Miller: BBC star 'learning to walk and talk again' after plunging from cliff - family overwhelmed by 'astonishing' GoFundMe 'generosity'
More than £57,000 has been raised as of Wednesday (23 April) to help Bruce Miller’s recovery. Bruce Miller worked as a wildlife expert for the broadcaster, until a climbing accident saw him hospitalised with brain damage last summer. Bruce, 28, was a researcher for the BBC’s Natural History Unit, and was out exploring at Avon Gorge in Somerset on July 13, 2024.
Tragically his climbing equipment broke, leaving him to fall 30 feet from a cliff. The TV researcher’s companions called paramedics and tried to help Bruce with first aid, but after the emergency services abseiled down to him he was quickly airlifted to hospital, where he was placed in an induced coma for 17 days and underwent emergency surgery. A GoFundMe has been set up for Bruce by his panicked loved ones.
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The family says Bruce’s “recovery is still in its early stages, and ongoing rehabilitation is essential as he works to rebuild his strength, mobility, and independence.” They add: “However, his stay at BIRU is coming to an end, and there’s likely to be at least a three-month gap before NHS-funded community rehabilitation becomes available. These therapies are a crucial part of his continued recovery, and a long break could risk slowing the progress he’s worked so hard to achieve.”
His parents, Richard and Alison, posted on Facebook sharing how they are humbled and astonished by the wonderful support. They said: “Nothing could have prepared us for what we have experienced in the last week. We have been profoundly affected by the experience of seeing you and hundreds of others joining together in response to Bruce’s friends' campaign to help him sustain the progress he is making.
“You may have chosen to remain anonymous or been willing to leave your name. You may know us and/or Bruce personally, have a less direct link or no pre-existing connection with us at all. Or maybe it was simply because someone mentioned the story to you and you felt it was just a good thing to do. Whoever you are and however you have helped this astonishing combined effort so far, we want you to know that we are humbled by your empathy, kindness and generosity. Thank you.”
On Bruce’s condition the parents added: “Since October Bruce has made gradual but hopeful progress. From his wheelchair, he can now kick and throw a ball, feed himself and even sit up on his own. Through it all his sense of humour shines through, often laughing at our (sometimes) terrible jokes and following along with conversations between friends and family.
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Hide Ad“But he cannot yet communicate reliably with us, he is still in the early stages of learning to stand and walk and he relies on one to one help with a range of other daily tasks. With further intensive specialist physio, speech and occupational therapy there is hope that his rehabilitation will continue to progress.”
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