Last Updated on: 21st November 2023, 08:58 pm
Phil Quinlan, a 49-year-old father of two from Navan, Ireland, has been telling of his experiences travelling with his folding scooter, which has helped to change his life for the better following a devastating brain injury he suffered at the age of 15.
After suffering a catastrophic brain injury while playing football, Phil was left in a coma for 10 days and had to have surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain. He subsequently spent a further six weeks in an unconscious state, leaving him paralysed down one side.
Despite the challenges of living with a disability, Phil has never allowed it to restrict his independence or limit his enthusiasm for life and travel. To document his journey to recovery, he released an autobiography entitled “And a bang on the ear” this year.
When it comes to holidays, Phil and his family prefer to enjoy a relaxing break in a beautiful location and rely on any resort accommodation and travel arrangements to be accessible. His most recent holiday was to Center Parcs in Longford Forest, which he visited for the second time after being so impressed the first time.
At the resort, Phil and his family stayed in an adapted lodge which was designed with accessibility in mind. It included dedicated disabled parking nearby, ramps to help with access to the accommodation, lowered countertops, handrails throughout the property, and ‘walk-in’ or ‘wheel-in’ showers. The village public areas also had ramped entrances and walkways to help with accessibility.
Phil travelled to Longford Forest with his eFOLDi scooter, which he was able to store conveniently in the back of his car. He commented: “Compared to other scooters I’ve owned, it’s so compact, I take it with me everywhere I go and it still leaves me plenty of room for my luggage.”
Phil has found that the scooter has allowed him to keep up with his family and also coach his children’s football team. He explained: “Having a scooter means I can hold my children’s hands as they run around, which of course, means the world to me. It’s little things like that help me feel closer to my family, and it makes all the difference. Having the freedom to do all the things I want to do, without any real hassle or worry is very important to me.”
Phil Quinlan’s inspiring story of resiliency and determination to live life to the fullest, despite the challenges of living with a disability, is an inspiration to all.
