“A positive outlook on life is the way to be; you will get a lot of dents in life but you just have to get through it,” says Alex Stephen, with a twinkle in his eye.
Mental resilience is something that the 61-year-old Fraserburgh father and grandad knows all about after a freak accident in work left him with life-changing brain injuries.
And as if life hadn’t thrown enough at Alex, he was then diagnosed with Parkinson’s – a condition in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years.
But instead of wallowing in self pity – which would be completely understandable – Alex has used the power of the positivity he developed through his love of sport and his strong Christian faith to live his life to the fullest.
“My mindset through sport has helped me to progress instead of sitting back and thinking about things,” says Alex.
“If you sit back and moan and groan, it’s you who misses out on life.”
Gifted golfer
A talented young golfer with the world at his feet, Alex was like any other teenager, excited about the future and all that it would bring.
But his world was turned upside down when, at the age of just 19, a freak accident at work left him with life-changing brain injuries.
“In 1979 I had a huge accident while I was working as a maintenance engineer at a local factory that made ice for the fishing boats,” says Alex.
“A bottle of liquid ammonia fell on top of me and I fractured my skull.
“I was in a coma for three weeks and I had to learn how to walk and talk again.
“I lost everything but that’s just how it goes.”
“If you’re negative then you’re in trouble”
Determined not to let his injuries hold him back, Alex used his competitive sporting spirit to set himself daily goals including walks round his beloved Inverallochy Golf Course.
“Sport is a big part of my life so that has helped me to push on,” says Alex.
“After the accident my balance wasn’t very good so I walked round the golf course time after time to get myself back to health.
“That was a big thing which helped my recovery, getting out and about instead of moaning and groaning and relying on medication.
“I was quite positive and I set myself targets every day and challenges.
“If you achieve something it makes you feel good about yourself.
“It doesn’t need to be anything big but if you achieve it, it makes you feel good about yourself.
“If you’re negative then you’re in trouble.”
Remarkable recovery
His determination paid off as Alex made such a remarkable recovery that he secured a job working offshore.
But his life was turned upside down for a second time when, in 2016, after experiencing tingling in his left hand, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
Refusing to lie down to a complex health condition for the second time, Alex instead used it as the motivation to enjoy every second that life has to offer.
“Some people might think it’s the end of the world but I didn’t see it like that,” says Alex.
“It didn’t make a difference to me as I’d been through too much already.
“I just kept positive because the way I look at life is that I can walk, I can talk, I can see and I can hear.
“If you’ve got that then what else do you want?”
Living life to the full
From golfing and cycling on his electric bike to socialising with his friends and spending time with his beloved family, Alex is determined to enjoy his life.
“I play golf and it’s amazing,” says Alex who has an impressive handicap of around 1o.
“I love being on the golf course, it gives me a lift.
“You hear so many folk moaning about this and that – they don’t realise what they’ve got.”
Every Friday without fail, Alex can also be found with the wind in his hair as he joins his golfing friends for a cycle.
“The cycling is great,” says Alex.
“We’re all in our sixties so we’ve got electric bikes and we go on different cycling routes, I love it.”
Tower of strength and support
Described as the “engine room” of the family, Carol, Alex’s wife of 36 years, has been a tower of strength to him over the years, as have his grown-up children Mark and Emma and his four-grandchildren who keep him on his toes.
His friends have also been there through thick and thin, especially his old school chum Graeme Hall who is helping Alex compile his inspiring life story which he plans to share with school groups and community groups.
“His mental toughness is second to none,” says Graeme.
“He’s always had mental toughness as a consequence of sport and that is what I admire about him.”
By sharing his story, Alex hopes it will show people the power of positive thinking.
“What you’ve got is far more important than what you haven’t got, and my glass is half full not half empty, I can tell you that,” says Alex.
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