Teen paralysed in accident didn't think girlfriend would 'stick around' - but now they're hoping for kids

A teen feared his childhood girlfriend wouldn't 'stick around' when he was left paralysed in a 'terrifying' motorbike accident - but instead they are stronger than ever and hoping to have kids together.

Harley Farrow lost control of his motorbike in rainy conditions and was run over by a lorry in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, on March 10 last year while on the way home to his girlfriend Megan Holgate. The 19-year-old had 'complete paralysis straight away' as he broke the C5 vertebrae in his neck and was rushed to hospital where he had surgery. During Harley's eight months in hospital, Megan visited him every day for two months before he was moved further away but she completed a four-hour round trip up to four times a week.

The couple, who met aged 15 at school, claim that while the accident has changed their relationship, they have been 'inseparable' ever since Harley returned home and are already planning their future together. In fact, Megan says the pair are even hoping to have children together as Harley remains in the 'mindset that he's going to get better' and has got some feeling back in his left leg and foot through his physio already. Hoping to spread awareness that 'life can still be good' after a transformative injury, Megan now helps Harley create videos documenting his journey, which he shares on TikTok.

In one photo compilation you can see the pair holding hands while the former carpenter apprentice lies in his hospital bed. Another picture shows the couple over a year later sitting on a plane together as they flew to Poland for Harley's first trip abroad post-accident.

Harley, who lives in Dover, Kent, said: "It was a big worry when I had my crash. I didn't expect her to stick around but she was there when I woke up from surgery and she's stuck with me through the rest of it. She's amazing. She's taken it all in her stride. She's brilliant.

"She visited me quite a bit in hospital. It made me feel really good. I stressed to her that it was a long trip and she didn't have to come and see me as often as she did but she wanted to. She had her 18th birthday while I was in hospital and she came and spent the day with me. I didn't expect her to do that. A lot of time and money went into it. That's a lot of love."

The former carpenter apprentice revealed the pair, who met at school four years ago and lived together at the time of Harley's accident, have maintained a 'normal' relationship.

Harley said: "It's just like a normal relationship. We still do everything and enjoy each other's company and go out and do fun things. I was under the illusion that I wouldn't need care and that Meg and I could do it. But I try to keep as far away from personal care as possible and keep it as a boyfriend and girlfriend relationship as opposed to a carer and patient relationship.

"It's affected it in some ways, but in other ways it's brought us a lot closer because we do everything together now. Obviously there are some aspects that are slightly harder but relationships are hard anyway."

The 19-year-old had been riding his bike home to his girlfriend after his building site work had been rained off that morning but 'lost control' and went under a lorry and in the central reservation.

After being rushed to hospital, the teenager had four and a half long surgery due to breaking his C5 vertebrae and was told he was paralysed from the neck down.

Harley said: "It was terrifying. Really, really scary. When I broke my neck I had complete paralysis straight away. My body was just numb. I broke my C5, my sternum, I had an open fracture on my left tibia and I broke my right toe as well.

"My family knew I was paralysed but were trying to keep it from me. They didn't want me to be scared. But I realised it on my own. Straight away I said 'no, this isn't it for me, I'm going to walk again and do my best to get better' and that's what I continued to do."

Since leaving hospital, the wheelchair user has regained some mobility and wants to encourage others to 'keep the wheels in motion' as they adapt to life-changing injuries.

Harley said: "One of the main things they used to say to me at the hospital was 'it will be a new life, but it doesn't have to be a bad one' and I never believed it and I didn't want to hear it.

"But since coming home and doing it and living my life you soon realise that it can be done and life can still be believed. I just want to spread that awareness and help people early on in their journey and let them know it can be done and life can still be good.

"You've still got to live your life. I do everything I can. I still go out and enjoy time with my mates and go to the pub and parties. I've just recently been on holiday with my girlfriend. It's as good as it could be.

"I've got quite a lot of feeling in my left leg now and my left foot. My fingers still don't move but I can move my wrists and my arms and my core stability is a lot better. I've come a long way. I didn't have a clue where I'd be or what I'd be doing. I didn't expect to be going on holidays and living the life I am living.

"It's beyond my expectations. You've just got to take every day as it comes and keep pushing forwards. 'Keeping the wheels in motion', that's what I like to say."

Megan, who works as a beautician and lives in Whitstable, Kent, revealed she was at work when she found out about her boyfriend's accident and rushed straight to the hospital.

Megan said: "I fell to the floor. It was just pure shock. I got the train to the hospital that night. It was a 50% chance he was going to come out alive from the surgery. I had to be there that day even if I didn't see him. If he woke up he'd know I was there.

"I said to my mum, 'as long as he's alive when he comes out of surgery, I'm happy'. I knew there would be some sort of damage at the time, but the fact he was alive, that's all that mattered. It was a shock because you can't imagine seeing the person you love in that state. He had the feeding tube and everyone said 'put a brace face on'. I had to hold everything back until I got home."

The beautician revealed she visited Harley in hospital every day for two months but it became 'really hard' when he was moved to a hospital further away and she had to make a four-hour round trip between two to four times a week.

Megan said: "I was there every single day. I then gradually plucked up the courage to start attending dance again on Saturdays so being there every day but Saturdays, and also going on a family holiday that had been booked for months in advance.

"When he moved hospitals, in the beginning I was visiting maybe two to four days a week booking hotels as the journey there and back at minimum was four hours. Then gradually it became shorter and shorter to maybe two to four times per fortnight as I couldn't afford to travel there and back all the time. It was really, really hard.

"Since he's been home we've been pretty much inseparable. It's been pretty easy since then."

The 'proud' girlfriend revealed Harley's accident has 'brought [them] closer together' and that the couple are not 'fazed' about thinking about the future.

Megan said: "It's brought us closer together. I am very proud of him and his progress. He doesn't see it, but when you look back to a few months ago it's amazing to see what he's achieved. Obviously it's made it better in most senses. It really has brought us closer.

"I basically live with him because he has a cabin that's been made for him that's accessible. I normally base myself there. The carers come from 8am until about 5pm. But I'm around pretty much everyday. From 3pm onwards we send them away and from that point until we go to sleep I care for him.

"We do talk about our future and we both think about having children. Things like that really scare us. But because he's in the mindset that he's going to get better, it doesn't faze us. We're still in a really great place."