Brave beyond belief!

Adam Kutereba helmet and harness on is lifted onto the edge of the top of the black box

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Nine-year-old Adam Kutereba, who has cerebral palsy, overcame his understandable nerves and his fear to climb over the edge of the top of the ‘Black Box’ and abseil down 230 feet!

This reporter, who spent 14 years in a wheelchair himself, had a lump in his throat as this incredible young man, who is mostly confined to a wheelchair, climbed over the edge of a 230 foot drop.

Speaking to Rochdale Online about his amazing experience, Adam said: “I didn’t like going over the edge, but then it was OK, until I got stuck coming down and all I wanted to do was get to the bottom.”

Adam’s mum, Rachel, who watched from behind the safety of a window at the top of the building, said: “Fantastic day, really enjoyed it.

“I wouldn’t have done what Adam did, he was really brave.”

Over one hundred people took part in the sponsored abseil at Rochdale’s Municipal Offices to help raise money for Adam, who requires an operation in order to improve his posture, comfort and walking ability.

Adam was born 13 weeks premature and suffered two lung haemorrhages and a brain haemorrhage within the first four days of his life. He was given a 10% chance of survival, and was in hospital for 12 weeks before being well enough to come home.

The brain haemorrhage left Adam with Tetraplegic Cerebral Palsy, which affects both his legs and his right arm. Adam cannot stand unaided and when not in his wheelchair he crawls to get around.

Adam’s Fund needs to raise £70,000 in order to fly Adam to America for a Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy operation, which would greatly benefit his posture, comfort and walking ability. This amount would cover the cost of the surgery as well as post-op care, physiotherapy and equipment.

At the start of the day the fund stood at £64,000 – by the end of the day the target of £70,000 had been reached, and Adam will fly off in August for his life-changing operation.

Special mention on the day must go to Mark Bland, who met Adam for the first time on top of the black box, and gently encouraged him to take the plunge and abseiled down with him.