The Art of Courage with Henry Fraser

‘Me painting me’ Limited edition Henry Fraser

Henry Fraser has been on an incredible journey since experiencing a life changing accident in his teenage years which has left him paralysed from the shoulders down. From starting his recovery to becoming an accomplished artist and writer, his determination and positive outlook have led him to triumph in ways most of us could not imagine.

In his first book ‘The little big things’ Henry unflinchingly describes the day that changed his life. A life that was full of promise. Like his big brother before him Henry had been offered a rugby scholarship to attend Dulwich College and his life was a whirlwind of activity, from training through to the exhilarating adventures and freedoms that came with moving to London. It was whilst on holiday in Portugal with his friends after completing his AS level exams Henry took a fateful dive into the sea, hitting his head on a sandbank. Henry describes the truly frightening days and weeks that followed in hospital in an unfamiliar country, and the poignant moment he was reunited with his parents.

‘Blue Giraffe’ Limited edition Henry Fraser

He writes with honesty about his dark days, the incredibly difficult period he went through after his accident, and the utter devastation he felt on the day in which he first saw his reflection, a ‘razor thin, weak young man’ who was lost in a bulky wheelchair. A reflection that was simply not his own. He shares the deeply raw yet beautiful moment when later that night, at 4am, alone and exhausted in his room he felt a calmness descend, when he realised that there was no point in being angry or sad, and that he ‘might as well just get on and face what was coming.’ And so he began his journey towards recovery, to acceptance, and to happiness. For Henry choosing to ‘accept and adapt’ has meant working hard to be as fit and well physically as possible, and to embrace opportunities as they arise, no matter how daunting they might initially seem. Which is not to say that this was always easy, indeed Henry shares that ‘accepting my situation was the single most difficult thing I did.’

Henry grew up in a loving, close knit, fiercely competitive and busy family, the third of four brothers, with parents who encouraged their sons to channel their energy through sports. But art, design and creativity were also part of the fabric of his family life. Henry was the quieter, more cautious and careful bother, but he also creative, and had an early love for art. But by the time he reached his midteens Henry was falling out of love with art, finding himself simply trying to get through each lesson rather than actually enjoying it. It wasn’t until a few years after his accident, and a period of enforced rest to try heal a bedsore when Henry, utterly bored, found a basic drawing app on his iPad that he could use with his mouth stick that his Dad had adapted or him after seeing something similar on the Christopher Reeve website. Although the process of learning to draw in this new way was often frustrating it reminded Henry how much he loved art.

After posting his first drawing on social media Henry was encouraged by the comments he got, and over the coming months continued to draw, to experiment, and to share his work which eventually led to some commissions, and his first exhibition in 2015. In a brilliant, and telling social media post in 2020 Henry shared a photograph of his 14 year old self drawing a tonal selfportrait from a photograph propped up in front of him. A contrasting photograph below depicts Henry painting a more recent, and much more vibrant and colourful selfportrait, this time using his mouth. The caption below reads ‘my accident took me back to art. Adversity has given me a gift’. And it is this sentiment that truly sums up Henry, and his approach to life.

Over the years since his accident there have been many words used to describe Henry, and none so more than the word inspirational perhaps. But the word that I’d use is humble. Grateful is another word that could be used. In the years since his accident Henry has both exhibited and sold his art, he has written two bestselling books, and is a sought after motivational public speaker. And yet when I asked Henry if he feels like an artist, or a writer he said no. Not yet. But what qualifies someone to be known as an artist? Is it someone who draws or paints, or creates sculptures, or writes books, poems, films, or other things which can be considered as works of art? Because if it is then Henry Fraser is an artist. And an author.

‘Magenta Ostrich’ Limited edition Henry Fraser

In his second book, ‘The Power In You’ Henry uses his own challenges and achievements to encourage us all to learn to accept our pasts, to live in the present and to shape a positive future. To embrace positivity, and to count all the ‘big little things.’ Something which is hard for so many of us to do, for so many different reasons. After his accident Henry wasn’t able to talk easily due to the tracheotomy he’d needed, and in that time he learnt a newfound appreciation for the power and beauty of words. He learnt to listen, to really listen, and to hear both what was said and that which was not said. And from the countless cards, letters and messages he received he felt, really felt, the way in which words could truly convey love, support and hope. In sharing his experiences in this second book Henry illustrates that it is possible to not only accept and adapt, but to embrace and enjoy a new way of living. To borrow Henry’s words, sometimes ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’, and in Henry sharing his experiences we can see what it means to be positive, to see hope lived, and determination triumph. For Henry the unimaginable accident which forever changed his life also created a space which allowed him to become mentally strong, and to see the beauty and joy in the everyday, in the details beyond the functional.

“Life is much richer and larger in scope, there is so much to appreciate, so much to become involved in, so much to be thankful for.”

‘Mont Blanc’ Limited edition Henry Fraser

In the early years after his accident Henry was supported by his friends and family, and also by some other men whose lives had also been changed when they too suffered injuries which left them with lifelong disabilities. In the first months and years Henry focused on his physiotherapy, on defying all the expectations of what it was possible for him to do with the level of injury he had sustained. About ten months after the accident Henry went to visit the rugby player Matt Hampson, Matt had also suffered lifechanging injuries when a scrum collapsed on him, but had gone on to set up the Matt Hampson Foundation which provides advice, support, relief and/or treatment to anyone suffering serious injury and/or disability. Henry remembers seeing that Matt had this fantastic home, a house which empowered him to live independently, he was as Henry recalls, actually living his life. And that was a huge moment for Henry, a catalyst to start thinking about the future, about life, about what he was going to do, and to be. And what a future it turned out to be.

‘The Little Big Things’ & ‘The Power in You’ the bestselling books by Henry are available instore and online.