Fourteen-year-old Amal Pappachan, hailing from Kottayam in Kerala, found himself in a fight for his life after a devastating accident left him with serious injuries, confining him to a hospital bed for the last four months. However, his desire to fulfil his dream of building a career to support his mother and younger sister gave him the strength to bounce back from the life-threatening injuries and prepare for the SSLC exams this March.
It was on August 23, 2023, that a car hit Amal at Vayala junction while he was on his way back home from Government Vocational Higher Secondary School on his bicycle. He was rushed to Kottayam Medical College, where he underwent critical care for days due to the serious injuries on his head. The accident completely disrupted the life of his mother Rosly, a single parent who has been toiling as a housemaid to raise both Amal and his younger sister Ayana after her husband passed away eight years ago.
For days, Amal lay unconscious on the hospital bed as doctors worked tirelessly to stabilise his condition and restore his health. With no scope for any recovery, he was later shifted to General Hospital in Pala and admitted to pain and palliative care.
But things took a positive turn when the school principal, H. Jasmine, visited Amal and decided to make a final attempt to bring Amal back to life. The principal consulted doctors at Indo-American Hospital in Vaikom, where doctors agreed to make an effort to treat him. The school authorities, Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), and the local residents rallied behind the effort, pooling in money to fund the treatment costs. After weeks of treatment, Amal started showing positive signs of recovery, and finally, he could move his body and regain his capacity to talk.
Now, as Amal prepares to write the SSLC exam, the entire school is jubilant about his comeback from the ordeal. Though Amal still struggles to walk, write, and talk, his desire to bounce back stemmed not only from a personal drive to reclaim his life but also from a deep sense of responsibility towards his family. With his father’s passing leaving a void in their lives, he knew that he had to step up and provide for his younger sister and his hardworking mother, whose sacrifices had kept them afloat during their darkest hours.
“The accident devastated me and my family. I am thankful to God for providing a family, friends, and teachers who stood with me and supported me. Their confidence and care accelerated my recovery process. My teachers also helped me with my academics. My ambition now is to become a physiotherapist. My experience helped me realise how important it is to help others who have lost their mobility to get back to normal life,” Amal told “Open Digest.”
As Amal prepares for the SSLC exam, he stands as a beacon of hope and determination, embodying the indomitable spirit of youth. His recovery serves as a powerful reminder that with perseverance and courage, even the most daunting obstacles can be overcome.
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