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| 'Miraculous' recovery for Peshawar massacre schoolboy | 'Miraculous' recovery for Peshawar massacre schoolboy |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| A teenager paralysed after being shot four times in Pakistan's deadliest terror attack has made a "miraculous" recovery following treatment in the UK. | A teenager paralysed after being shot four times in Pakistan's deadliest terror attack has made a "miraculous" recovery following treatment in the UK. |
| Muhammad Ibrahim Khan, 13, had been told by doctors in Pakistan that he would never walk again. | Muhammad Ibrahim Khan, 13, had been told by doctors in Pakistan that he would never walk again. |
| At least 140 people, mostly children, were killed when gunmen stormed Peshawar's Army Public School last December. | At least 140 people, mostly children, were killed when gunmen stormed Peshawar's Army Public School last December. |
| Muhammad, who arrived in London last month for surgery, is being discharged from hospital later. | Muhammad, who arrived in London last month for surgery, is being discharged from hospital later. |
| Exactly nine months ago, on an ordinary Tuesday morning, Muhammad sat in his first aid class listening to his teachers intently. | Exactly nine months ago, on an ordinary Tuesday morning, Muhammad sat in his first aid class listening to his teachers intently. |
| At the same time seven gunmen disguised in security uniforms were entering the Army Public School. They were strapped with explosives and had one simple mission in mind: Kill every man, woman and child they came across. | At the same time seven gunmen disguised in security uniforms were entering the Army Public School. They were strapped with explosives and had one simple mission in mind: Kill every man, woman and child they came across. |
| "I can't forget what happened that day," Muhammad says with a severe stare. | "I can't forget what happened that day," Muhammad says with a severe stare. |
| "We were sitting in the auditorium, we were asking questions… and then we heard heavy gunfire outside." | "We were sitting in the auditorium, we were asking questions… and then we heard heavy gunfire outside." |
| "The terrorists moved inside and they started killing - our teacher was burned alive." | "The terrorists moved inside and they started killing - our teacher was burned alive." |
| Muhammad described pulling four other pupils out of the auditorium as the carnage unfolded. He said he then heard his friend, Hamza calling to him. | Muhammad described pulling four other pupils out of the auditorium as the carnage unfolded. He said he then heard his friend, Hamza calling to him. |
| "He said, 'oh brother save me'." | "He said, 'oh brother save me'." |
| "I held his hand. That's when I was shot in the back, and he was shot in the head." | "I held his hand. That's when I was shot in the back, and he was shot in the head." |
| Hamza died in Muhammad's arms. | Hamza died in Muhammad's arms. |
| Muhammad recalled blacking out after that, and the next thing he knew he was in a hospital bed, paralysed from the waist down. | Muhammad recalled blacking out after that, and the next thing he knew he was in a hospital bed, paralysed from the waist down. |
| Doctors in Peshawar in northern Pakistan, and then Rawalpindi, close to the capital, told his family there was no treatment, and he would never walk again. | Doctors in Peshawar in northern Pakistan, and then Rawalpindi, close to the capital, told his family there was no treatment, and he would never walk again. |
| "Seeing him I felt like my soul had left my body," says Muhammad's father, Sher Khan | "Seeing him I felt like my soul had left my body," says Muhammad's father, Sher Khan |
| "Those nine months were the hardest in my life." | "Those nine months were the hardest in my life." |
| Road to recovery | Road to recovery |
| But Mr Khan and his wife, Sherbano, refused to believe that their cricket-mad son would never be able to use his legs again. | But Mr Khan and his wife, Sherbano, refused to believe that their cricket-mad son would never be able to use his legs again. |
| They campaigned, and appealed for help on Pakistani TV, gaining the support of high profile people such as cricketer turned politician Imran Khan. | They campaigned, and appealed for help on Pakistani TV, gaining the support of high profile people such as cricketer turned politician Imran Khan. |
| Finally, they were able to raise the funds to bring Muhammad to the UK and provide him with treatment at London's private The Harley Street Clinic. | |
| Consultant neurosurgeon Irfan Malik described Muhammad as "terrified" when he first arrived at the hospital. | Consultant neurosurgeon Irfan Malik described Muhammad as "terrified" when he first arrived at the hospital. |
| "He'd spent the last [few] months lying on a bed, unable to move side to side," says Mr Malik. "He was weak, he had a pressure sore [on his back]. He wasn't in great shape." | "He'd spent the last [few] months lying on a bed, unable to move side to side," says Mr Malik. "He was weak, he had a pressure sore [on his back]. He wasn't in great shape." |
| Muhammad was shot in his shoulder, his hip, and his back during the attack, damaging his lower spine - leading to paralysis. | Muhammad was shot in his shoulder, his hip, and his back during the attack, damaging his lower spine - leading to paralysis. |
| But during six hours of surgery, Mr Malik and his team were able to reattach nerve endings and reconstruct the damaged part of the spine. | But during six hours of surgery, Mr Malik and his team were able to reattach nerve endings and reconstruct the damaged part of the spine. |
| Even Mr Malik was surprised at what happened next. | Even Mr Malik was surprised at what happened next. |
| "Exactly one week after the surgery Muhammad stood up and started taking steps and walking." | "Exactly one week after the surgery Muhammad stood up and started taking steps and walking." |
| "We were not expecting to get that sort of excellent result. That was miraculous," he says. | "We were not expecting to get that sort of excellent result. That was miraculous," he says. |
| Hope and anger | Hope and anger |
| Less than two weeks after his operation, Muhammad is ready to leave hospital and start the long road to recovery. | Less than two weeks after his operation, Muhammad is ready to leave hospital and start the long road to recovery. |
| He says he wants to build his strength and continue his education in the UK. | He says he wants to build his strength and continue his education in the UK. |
| But he says he is determined to return to Pakistan, join the army and help fight terrorism. | But he says he is determined to return to Pakistan, join the army and help fight terrorism. |
| "I feel like I have a second chance at life," he says as he shows off pictures he's drawn of guns scribbled out next to school books and pens | "I feel like I have a second chance at life," he says as he shows off pictures he's drawn of guns scribbled out next to school books and pens |
| Muhammad grows physically stronger every day but the psychological trauma he continues to endure is unimaginable. | Muhammad grows physically stronger every day but the psychological trauma he continues to endure is unimaginable. |
| "My anger is not diminishing" he says. "In my school little kids were killed. What was their crime?" | "My anger is not diminishing" he says. "In my school little kids were killed. What was their crime?" |
| His mother, wiping a tear from her eye, caressed his head and said: "I can see my son walking again. He'll be able to get on with his normal life". | His mother, wiping a tear from her eye, caressed his head and said: "I can see my son walking again. He'll be able to get on with his normal life". |