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Wheelchair bound since childhood, British man walks 20 metres for good cause

Wheelchair bound since childhood, Nick Carr walks 20 metres for a good cause.

When Nick Carr was three years old, encephalitis left him wheelchair-bound.

Now 26, Carr recently defied the doctors who told him he'd never stand or walk again — and took a few agonizing steps for a good cause.

"It was incredibly tough and very painful. I knew there were a lot of people watching me, but I was focused on getting the walk done. It felt amazing to do this for such a worthy cause," the Cornwall man told SWNS.

It took Carr one year of physical training to make those victorious steps. He did so to raise money for the proposed Centre of Challenge and Innovation, a new sports centre for the physically challenged.

Carr and his friends, Keith Cornick and John Williams, who just finished a 1,000-mile fundraising tour of the U.K., raised over over £10,000 ($16,680 CAD) for the centre.

"I want to help raise money for the centre because it can help people like me to get better and believe in themselves," Carr told the West Briton before his walk. "It fits in with what I want to do. To walk for me was seen as an impossible challenge and I want the Centre of Challenge to inspire people."

"John and Keith have travelled over 1,000 miles to help raise funds. I am going to walk 20 metres. I'm very determined to make it happen."

And just as he vowed, Carr pulled himself out of his chair and walked those 20 metres in front of an encouraging crowd at Lemon Quay in Truro, U.K., on Monday.

"It was inspirational and very moving. People were cheering Nick on and a few people were crying. It was very emotional," said Denise Boaden, a driving force behind the Centre for Challenge.