Woman Paralyzed After Freak Accident Involving Her Husband

A woman in England has been left paralyzed from the shoulders down after a devastating accident involving the husband who had cared for her for years.

Kelly Stuart, 44, had already spent nearly two decades living with serious health struggles, including non-epileptic seizures and fibromyalgia, a chronic condition that causes widespread pain.

For years, Kelly used a wheelchair and relied on her husband, 45-year-old Simon Stuart, for help with daily life.

One of Simon’s caregiving duties was carrying Kelly up and down the stairs in their home. He had been trained to do it safely.

But in May 2025, everything changed.

Simon was carrying Kelly downstairs when he slipped. He accidentally dropped her, and they both fell down the steps. Simon then landed on top of her.

Immediately after the fall, Kelly suffered a tonic-clonic seizure, formerly known as a grand mal seizure.

She was taken to the hospital and given a CT scan. Doctors initially reassured her that it appeared to be one of her “normal” seizures and that she would be okay.

But three months later, Kelly’s condition took a terrifying turn.

She suffered a severe “thunderbolt” headache and began feeling extremely weak. The next day, on Aug. 15, she suddenly blacked out.

When she woke up, she was paralyzed from the shoulders down.

Kelly was taken by ambulance to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with functional neurological disorder and functional movement disorder. Doctors said the conditions were caused by the fall.

Both disorders affect the brain’s ability to properly send and receive signals through the body.

Kelly now has no feeling in her arms, torso or legs. She cannot sit upright or feed herself and needs 24-hour care.

Despite everything, Kelly said she does not blame Simon.

She said her husband had been exhausted and grieving at the time of the accident after spending three weeks helping care for his mother, who had suffered severe sepsis and pneumonia before her death.

Kelly described that period as traumatic and said Simon had been physically and emotionally drained.

“He was trained to carry me like that but he was so tired from us going to the hospital every day, and grieving,” Kelly told Southwest News Service. “Simon blames himself but I could never blame the person I love. He is my world and it could so easily have been the other way around.”

Still, Kelly admits the adjustment has been incredibly painful.

“It’s been very difficult, mourning the life I had before, but I’m keeping my faith that I’ll make progress with muscle stimulator machines and physio,” she said.

Kelly spent eight and a half months in the hospital after the accident. During that time, she suffered around 500 seizures while neuro-physiotherapists and occupational therapists worked to help reactivate feeling and movement in her body.

Progress has been slow.

“I struggled not having control over my body or life,” Kelly said. “I was depressed and ended up getting support from mental health nurses.”

Kelly was discharged in April 2026, and she and Simon are now trying to build a new life together.

The couple is moving into a new home and working on major modifications, including a ramp and bathroom changes to make the space wheelchair accessible.

They have also launched a GoFundMe to raise money for physiotherapy, muscle stimulator devices and a wheelchair-accessible vehicle.

“It has been quite a challenge,” Simon said. “With the fall, I had a lot of guilt around that, although I feel better than I did now that she’s home. We just have to adjust to this new life for her.”

Kelly said her goal now is simple.

“I just want to live as normal a life as possible now,” she said.