Latest update September 11th, 2026 10:19 AM
Paralyzed accident victim learns to sit up, move body
Many accidents have a story. Many end in tragedy, causing injuries or claiming the lives of pedestrians.
Some stories, however, have inspirational endings.
One case is that of seven year-old Matthew Zaman, a former student of La Bonne Intention Primary School, East Coast Demerara. Following an accident involving a minibus which occurred outside of his Felicity, Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara home on December 18, last year, the lad was left paralyzed
At his age when playing is a preoccupation, Matthew is unable to walk, speak, eat or even breathe off his own after the tragic incident. He eats through his nose from a tube and breathes through an intrusion in his neck.
He is confined to a wheelchair and his mother cares for him 24/7.
Kaieteur News understands that the driver of the vehicle was charged with dangerous driving and was released on $100,000 bail pending the hearing and determination of a trial.
Since Matthew’s situation was highlighted, he has been receiving generous support from the public and various organizations. The charitable organization, Saving Hands Emergency Aid (SHEA) is assisting Matthew towards having a hopeful future.
According to information posted by SHEA, there have been improvements in the young man’s condition over the past month. Instead of lying in bed all day, he is now sitting up and moving parts of his body thanks to assistance from the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre.
The organization says that Matthew has been getting help from Vanessa Wickham, a Physiotherapist; Nikita Correia, a Rehabilitation Assistant and Quacy Paddy and Alarick Hussein—Physiotherapy students at the University of Guyana.
In a video seen by this publication, Matthew was sitting on a bed with assistance from someone. He was also learning to balance his head. He sustained significant traumatic brain injury, along with added hypoxic brain injury.
“Therefore treatment will be complex and his prognosis is listed as poor. Nonetheless, we are hopeful he can receive treatment and can regain some mobility, if not all. Our team is committed to assisting Matthew in every possible way,” SHEA said in a Facebook post.
SHEA is currently in the process of raising funds to have Matthew taken to the United States for medical treatment.
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