THIS Thursday, July 2nd, marks one year since the day Féile O’Sullivan’s life changed forever. On that date, the Beara teenager was involved in a catastrophic farm accident and was airlifted to Cork University Hospital and subsequently to Crumlin in Dublin.

One year on and the determined Allihies girl is now independently propelling her own wheelchair and swimming almost every day, The Southern Star can reveal.

Féile spent weeks in a coma and months in intensive care. At one point, she couldn’t even lift her hand to scratch her own nose.

Neither her mother, Maureen, her family, nor the loyal local group who immediately offered support, had any idea what the future would look like.

Finbarr Harrington, one of a tight-knit group drawn from the community and Féile’s own local GAA Club Garnish, helped establish the StandWithFéile GoFundMe campaign. That campaign took care of finance and some logistics, but it was during the last 12 months that Féile made her own efforts towards her recovery, efforts that were nothing short of remarkable.

Both of Féile’s legs were amputated following the accident on the family farm in Allihies, but today Féile is independently propelling her own wheelchair, swimming almost every day, taking part in sports at the National Rehabilitation Hospital, and learning to stand using her prosthetic leg.

‘Every achievement has come through determination, hard work, and a refusal to let her circumstances define her,’ Finbarr told The Southern Star.

Maureen, her mother, acknowledged: ‘None of this would have been possible without the incredible care she has received from her medical teams, therapists, and rehabilitation staff, or without the overwhelming support of our family, friends, our local community, and the thousands of people who have encouraged and supported her over the past year.’

Féile is only 13 years old. Her life is still very much ahead of her. As she prepares to leave hospital, she’ll begin adapting to life in the community with a wheelchair and one prosthetic, while hoping that in the future she’ll have the opportunity to explore a second prosthetic.

‘There will undoubtedly be challenges,’ said her mother, ‘but there will also be opportunities, new milestones, and dreams to pursue.

‘If this past year has shown us anything, it’s that no dream is too big for Féile. She continues to amaze us every single day with her resilience, her humour, and her quiet determination.

‘We couldn’t be prouder of the incredible young person she is becoming, and we are so grateful to everyone who has helped her get to this point,’ said Maureen.