The son of a schoolteacher who was involved in a life threatening car accident four years ago has beaten the odds and picked up a BRIT award with a music charity.
Edward Buckley, 24, whose father Matthew Buckley teaches Maths at St Albans Girls’ School, collected a special award at the BRITs in London on behalf of music charity Nordoff Robbins.
The charity were recognised for their work using music therapy to help people who have suffered with brain injuries.
Edward, the charity’s ambassador, was a recipient of this treatment after sustaining serious head injuries when he was hit by a speeding taxi in January 2012.
He was studying to be a pilot at Leeds University when the incident left him with severe head trauma and life threatening injuries.
His parents were told on three occasions that he was probably going to die, when after six months of being in a coma, Ed started to wake up.
He began his rehabilitation with a Nordoff Robbins music therapist, Jessica, who visited Ed in hospital every week. She began helping wheelchair-bound Ed to put his fingers on the piano chords, encouraging him to sing.
He slowly learnt to walk again also with the help of Jessica, who banged on a drum with a marching rhythm.
When collecting the award Edward said: “I’m here today accepting this award as a Nordoff Robins ambassador and I’m very proud of that. I was lucky enough to be in a hospital where there was a therapist working. There are lots of people around the country, both young children and adults, where music therapy will give them a lifeline that they might need and it’s very powerful. Thank you.”
His father Matthew said Edward was very excited to be handed the award by Chris Martin, lead singer of the band Coldplay.
Matthew added: “Edward is a big fan of Coldplay and was star struck by all the razzle dazzle of this high profile event.”
Upon discovering Ed was a massive fan of the band, Chris gave Ed six tickets to see the band at the 02 in June later this year.
CEO of Nordoff Robbins, Julie Whelan, said: “We were thrilled to have Chris Martin present Ed with our award on the night ; in 2013 Ed spoke at our Silver Clef Awards, a year in which Coldplay were award recipients at the event.
“Chris had a read about Ed’s story and after meeting that night they have remained in contract, so it was a very special moment to see the two of them come together again at the BRITs and celebrate music therapy in this way.”
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