Scaffolder and dad-to-be, 29, blamed back pain on a pulled muscle until tingling legs left him paralysed in minutes

SCAFFOLDER Liam Watson had everything going for him – he had just married his high-school sweetheart Poppy, and the pair were trying for a baby. But on an ordinary day – February 10, 2026 – his entire life changed forever, when a tingling in his legs left the 29-year-old paralysed in just 15 minutes. Liam Watson, pictured with his wife Poppy, felt tingling in his legs at work one day and from there, everything changed Credit: Jam Press Fifteen minutes later, the 29-year-old was paralysed and was rushed to hospital in an ambulance Credit: Jam Press Just a week later, Liam and Poppy discovered their dreams of becoming parents were set to come true. Though Liam had to face the fact his expectations of fatherhood had suddenly been shattered. Poppy, 27, who is due in November 2026, says: “I miss when Liam used to do cartwheels in the living room, or when we’d dance together in the kitchen. “But I’m excited for this next chapter – and I know he’ll be the best dad regardless of the cards he’s been dealt.” Poppy and Liam, from Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, had dreamt about their future together after walking down the aisle in 2025. After suffering a miscarriage in December 2025 at just nine weeks, the couple were determined not to give up on their dreams of being parents. A week before his paralysis, Liam suffered pain in his back that wouldn’t shift. “I thought he must’ve pulled a muscle,” Poppy, a science teacher, told Sun Health. “So we occasionally stretched out his back during the little attacks of pain he was having. “I look back and worry if this made things worse – or if we could’ve done more. “If we had gone to hospital straight away; would he be OK now? “We’ll never know. Especially as back pain is so common.” In the week leading up to the incident, Liam had been having some back pain, but just assumed he had pulled a muscle Credit: Jam Press Liam’s wife initially thought the incident was caused by a trapped nerve, but she soon learned he had suffered a bleed on his spine Credit: Jam Press The couple spent the day before the incident in bed together, fighting a cold. The next day, Liam recalls: “I was on the scaffolding and my legs started to feel numb. “I recognised what was happening and climbed down to seek first aid. “By the time I reached the office, I was tired and ready to collapse. “A site agent caught me before I fell and set me down on a bench. “I couldn’t move at all and was in immense pain. “An ambulance was called and by the time they had arrived, the numbness was up to my chest. “I could only control my arms. “Then, my breathing became shallow. “I was scared and hoped the paralysis wouldn’t last.” Poppy recalls receiving the call that her husband was in hospital during her lunch break. Overcome with panic, she initially thought it was just a trapped nerve. But doctors revealed he had suffered a severe bleed – known as a spontaneous epidural hematoma – on his spine. As the name suggests, spontaneous epidural hematomas happen spontaneously – they are not caused by an injury and happen unexpectedly. Symptoms of the condition include a sharp pain in the arms or legs, numbness, tingling or paralysis and loss of bowel or bladder control. Poppy says: “I had no idea how serious it was. Surgery successfully stopped the spread of Liam’s paralysis, but it is unlikely he will ever walk again Credit: Jam Press When going into surgery, Liam was told that he might go blind, but thankfully this didn’t happen Credit: Jam Press “When I got to the hospital, everyone was in high spirits despite the circumstances. “But once they told me he had bleeding on his spine and needed to be transferred, I couldn’t help but be in denial. “I thought he would have surgery and it would be fixed. “A permanent spinal injury can happen to other people – but not us.” It became a race against time to get Liam on the operating table. He had a laminectomy, which aimed to drain the blood that was crushing his spinal cord and relieve pressure. It was hoped this would limit the risk of permanent paralysis and stop it from spreading further up his body. But it didn’t come without other life-changing risks. He says: “I was told that I might go blind, even if I get use of my body again. “That was the moment everything came crashing down.” Sadly, he had no choice – he handed Poppy his wedding ring and said goodbye, knowing it might be the last time he saw her face, before surgery. “It was successful in stopping the spread, however, he still is paralysed and will likely remain paralysed forever,” says Poppy. There was a silver lining, as ten days after the surgery, Poppy had some exciting news. Poppy says: “I knew it was a very real possibility that I could be pregnant. “But when I saw those two lines, I was shocked. “Liam was the happiest I had seen him for a long time.” While the couple are over-the-moon, it’s bittersweet. Given Liam is paralysed, their chances to conceive naturally again are very low – though not entirely ruled out. Poppy said: “It’s sad, because we both have siblings. And we’d really like to give our boy one in the future.” Liam says: “I do worry, that as I don’t have strength in my core, that I won’t ever be able to pick him up or look after him independently. “I also keep seeing videos of dads playing with their children and throwing them around. “Things like this weigh heavily on my mind. Ten days after Liam’s surgery, she found out that she was pregnant Credit: Jam Press What is a spontaneous epidural hematoma? A spontaneous epidural hematoma is an unexpected, severe bleed that happens on the spine. It is not caused by anything – such as an injury – and can happen very suddenly. The condition is life-threatening and requires immediate treatment. It is a relatively rare phenomenon so there is not very much accessible information on the condition. Symptoms can include: Sudden neck or back pain – a sharp or stabbing pain in the arms or legs Weakness – numbness, tingling or paralysis which moves down the body as the bleed does Loss of bowel or bladder control – this signals spinal cord compression “The chances of walking again are extremely slim, so I don’t hold a lot of hope.” Right now, though, Liam is dealing with his new normal. Poppy says: “Obviously it’s been very hard, we both have a lot of ups and downs. “We have had a few hurdles to deal with since him being home. “For example, he just got a large burn on his leg from a hot plate on his lap that he couldn’t feel. “I still work as a teacher so I have been doing a lot of care outside work. I make him packed lunches for home. “I am currently on summer holidays and due to go on maternity soon, so I am trying to just make it until then.” Liam experiences no control of his bladder or bowel, as well as pressure sores and is at high-risk for strokes. This is due to autonomic dysreflexia – which causes a sudden spike in blood pressure triggered by an overactive nervous system – and affects people with high spinal cord injuries. The cause of Liam’s condition is unknown and the couple are still searching for answers, with MRI scans coming up soon. Poppy says: “He has had a lot of different screenings to determine a cause, such as family medical history. “The amount of blood they took to find the cause was insane.” Liam remains optimistic, saying: “I hope to have a happy family. “I’m excited to watch my son grow up and for him to experience the world.” To give him a fighting chance at being the dad he always dreamed of, the couple are raising funds on GoFundMe, with over £8,500 raised so far. The money will be put towards a power attachment for Liam’s wheelchair so he can access more places. It will also help the couple afford adapted equipment for fatherhood so that general tasks are made easier for Liam. Poppy says: “This pregnancy has been unbelievably tough. “I think it will be better once we’re home, as right now, we’re in temporary accommodation. “We’ve applied to West Northampton Council as our family are from the area and we need to be near them now. “So everything still feels very up in the air.”