My name is Liam Virgo and this is my story which I’m pleased to be sharing with Ability Today.

Before my illness I was a healthy child with a normal life ahead of me. Then in 2016 when I was 13 within a few weeks, my brains software crashed. I had to leave school as it wasn’t safe for me due to my sudden deterioration. For six months my mind switched off and I didn’t know who or what anything was. I don’t remember the early days of my illness and life before it is a blur. I went from being a healthy teenager to one who couldn’t move or even speak. I was left suddenly and severely disabled, having all my abilities taken away from me. After months in hospital I was diagnosed with severe Functional Neurological Disorder also known as FND. I was bedridden as a result of my condition and felt trapped inside my own body.

Developing a disability as a teenager isn’t just about the physical stuff; it’s about the sudden, shift in your entire identity just as you’re supposed to be finding out who you are. The reality is that your world shrinks to the size of a hospital bed, mine definitely did as my hospital bed was the only place I felt comfortable. While everyone else is hitting those big teen milestones—exams, first jobs, learning to drive—you’re stuck in a body that’s stopped listening to you. For me, it felt like being a prisoner in my own skin. I even lost my voice for a full year, which meant I couldn’t even explain how I was feeling. I spent my 14th, 15th and 16th birthdays bed bound. I was bed bound for years and was locked inside my own mind and body. I couldn’t do anything for myself and needed 24 hour care. For five years I was paralysed. It’s been painful and very isolating.

One of the toughest parts of developing an “invisible” condition at that age is the lack of understanding. Because my scans looked “normal,” I sometimes faced people—even some professionals—who thought my symptoms were down to a “mental health issue”. At times my symptoms were misunderstood or misdiagnosed as other illnesses such as Autism regression or developmental regression when in fact it was severe FND. That kind of gaslighting stays with you; it adds a layer of mental strain that’s just as heavy as the physical symptoms.

But even in those dark years, I found small sparks of hope. I found comfort in London. The teams who supported me at CAMHS and Great Ormond Street actually made me a progress chart where moving a single finger meant I was one step closer to visiting the city.

Eventually when I was well enough my first trip out of the house in years was just to the local hospital to collect a new wheelchair. It felt like I was exploring a whole new planet. I don’t remember the world as I used to know it but I now look at life differently. It felt amazing to be back in the outside world again. Since then, I’ve visited over 120 towns and cities across the UK and achieved another wish of meeting some of my favourite celebrities. I made it to London and have been back many times since to my favourite place. I wasn’t able to return to education post being bed bound due to my ongoing physical and mental health challenges so I was home tutored. We did day trips, sensory and rehabilitation sessions and lots more fun activities.

If I could speak to my 13-year-old self now, I’d tell him that his journey is going to be a massive fight, and people will doubt him. But I’d also tell him that he’s going to find a strength he never knew he had. Developing a disability as a teen doesn’t mean your life is over—it just means you’re going to have to find a new way to live it, one millimeter at a time.

I’m now using my voice, the voice that my illness once stole from me to raise awareness. The emotional scars of developing a disability as a teenager are still felt to this day.

One thing my disability could never take is my determination. I’ve been incredibly determined to achieve my dreams and goals.

I’m now adjusting to life post severe FND and learning to live with my new normal. I still have difficult days but I’m now more determined than ever to not let my disability hold me back from doing anything.

I’m also on instagram where you can follow my adventures and lots more.

By Liam Virgo

Find Liam Virgo on Instagram