An RAF Lossiemouth air traffic controller is back on his feet just nine days after being seriously injured in a horrific road accident.
Ryan Adamson was left critically ill after the smash on the A941 between Elgin and Lossiemouth.
He was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary’s intensive care unit after being freed from the wreckage of his car by firefighters.
The 23-year-old suffered two collapsed lungs and extensive bruising and his family did not know whether he would survive.
But yesterday his relieved mum, Jayne McDonald, revealed that he was now on the mend.
She said: “It really was 50-50, we didn’t know if Ryan was going to pull through.
“He is normally quite a healthy guy, with a good build, and doctors think that helped spare him from more serious harm.
“But he’s getting better now, and on Wednesday he took his first steps since the accident.
“We’re not sure yet how long he will remain in hospital for, that all depends on how the recovery progresses.”
Mr Adamson’s Vauxhall Signum collided with a red Nissan Juke on Wednesday, August 26.
Ten firefighters worked for more than an hour to free the serviceman from his car.
Mr Adamson is originally from Grangemouth, but he moved to Lossiemouth to follow a career in military aviation.
He now lives in the seaside town with his wife Anna, 24, and children Jakub, five, and Amelia, two.
Mrs McDonald, 42, thanked staff and personnel at the Moray RAF base for their support during the family’s ordeal.
She said: “This is still a very stressful experience, but the RAF have made things as easy as they can be.
“Someone from the base stayed with us all night when Ryan was first taken to Aberdeen, and they consulted with doctors and did everything like that on our behalf.
“We couldn’t have coped without the help we received from RAF Lossiemouth, they have been our rock and have allowed us to concentrate 100% on helping Ryan get better.”
Group Captain Mark Chappell, station commander at the airbase, said military staff would continue to help Mr Adamson and his family during his recuperation.
He said: “Ryan is a valued member of the RAF Lossiemouth team, and we will continue to do everything possible to help him and his family at this difficult time.”