Paraplegic teenager delivers drinking warning
A student doctor has a timely warning for other young men, after he fell and became a paraplegic following a night out drinking with friends.
Jason Clymo, who is in the second year of a medical degree at Monash University, is learning to live without the use of his legs.
A night out of drinking and celebrating with friends in November turned to tragedy.
The 19-year-old, of Moama, had returned to his friend's apartment, but accidentally flipped over a railing in the building's stairwell and plunged three storeys.
He crashed to the ground, snapping his back.
Jason lay unconscious for more than three hours until he was helped by another medical student who stumbled upon him.
"He came down and took control and was like, 'don't touch him, just call an ambulance'," Jason said.
It was not long after the accident that Jason learned he was a paraplegic. He asked doctors to break the devastating news to his mum that he would never walk again.
"As soon as I walked in the doctor said you me 'your son will never walk again'," mum Karen said.
The teenager has full upper body movement and feels lucky his spinal injury is not worse.
"As soon as I woke up I had a reality check because I was in hospital with people who were so much worse than me," he said.
Although Jason has kept his spirits high, he has a serious message for other young men.
"I'd probably just tell people to look after their friends and stay together no matter what because pretty much anything can happen," he said.
Jason plans to resume third year medical studies and says his experience has given him a new passion to specialise in the treatment of spinal cord injuries.
His positive attitude is a like a dose of good medicine.
"You have bad moments but you can still achieve anything you want to do," he said.
Jason's friends are fundraising to help out with the costs of modifications to his home when he leaves rehabilitation.