BUSINESSMAN Kevin Fuller, who runs Fuller Stuff in North Street, Wellington, is back at work and well along the road to recovery after a fall that nearly cost him his life.

Kevin, 52, was 12 feet up a ladder extending the roof of his shop on Wednesday, July 15, when he slipped and fell – possibly hitting his head on a concrete fountain on the ground – leaving him unconscious.

His partner Sharon French had gone to collect her boys from school and employee Steve Thorn had left when the shop shut at 4.30pm and, as Kevin often does not get home until late, it was not until hours later that Sharon had any concerns.

She phoned Kevin’s daughter, Georgina Fuller, 22, at about 10pm, to ask her to go and check on her dad, as she only lives a short walk from the shop. Georgina found him still unconscious in the yard and called an ambulance, kept him warm and put him in the recovery position.

Drivers passing by had been unable to see Kevin had fallen because his van and a Luton van were parked side by side in front of the gates leading to the yard.

Kevin was taken to Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton by ambulance accompanied by Sharon and Georgina. Sharon said: “We were told that for any chance of survival we had to get him to Bristol Southmead Brain Injury Unit, where we arrived at about midnight. He was operated on to let his brain swell, put into intensive care and we were told the vast majority don’t make it.

“They put him into an induced coma – they weren’t worried about any other injuries he may have had – it was all about saving the brain. I was shown scans of his brain and was told ‘don’t expect much – be prepared for a vegetable’. When he was in a coma he was paralysed, the right side of his body wouldn’t move.

“They kept on bringing him in and out of consciousness to see if he could breathe on his own. At one point we played him James Blunt’s song Bonfire Heart and his heart rate doubled – it was lovely to get a reaction, even if it was only a heart beat, but it was enough to make us all cry. We put pictures around the room, so if he did wake up he would see something positive.”

It was about a week and a half before Kevin came out of his coma but he does not remember being in Southmead Hospital at all. He was moved to Musgrove on August 6 before going to Dene Barton’s Neurological Rehabilitation Centre at Cotford St Luke on August 17 and then going home full time about two weeks later. “He has beaten all the odds and I’m so lucky to still have him here,” Sharon added.

She also praised Kevin’s five daughters who supported him the whole time, her own mother, and everyone who wrote hundreds of goodwill messages on Facebook. “It was phenomenal, it just kept us going,” Sharon said.

Kevin’s friends have told him he is 90% better now, although he sometimes muddles his words to amusing effect. He has also largely lost his sense of taste and smell – although reflexology session may have helped in this respect.

Fuller Stuff sells secondhand and antique furniture, general household and garden items plus pre-loved vintage china and bric-a-brac. Kevin also does auctions once a month and will be back wielding the gavel again after a three-month absence on Saturday, October 31, at 11am.