“Just Keep Swimming”, Coleraine Veteran Overcomes Injury to Graduate in Law with The Open University

A former Royal Navy engineer from Coleraine has overcome serious illness and a failed spinal surgery to achieve a law degree with The Open University, proving that determination and flexible learning can open doors even in the most difficult circumstances.  

Chris began studying for his LLB while recovering from major health complications that left him largely confined to his bedroom. The ability to study online and at his own pace made higher education possible during a period when attending a traditional university would have been impossible. 

“The OU was the only choice “ Chris said. “I wouldn’t have been able to attend a bricks-and-mortar university during my recovery. My first year of university was pretty much completed in my bedroom.”  

Chris left school with nine GCSEs before joining the Royal Navy, where he trained in marine engineering. Later, he built a career as an international sports coach and even represented his country in archery as part of the Paralympic programme.  

But after a failed spinal surgery led to complications including aseptic meningitis and an ongoing brain injury, his life took a difficult turn. 

“After the surgery and diagnosis, things went to a very dark place,” he said. “The scholarship from the Disabled Veterans Scholarship Fund gave me the chance to set new goals again.” 

With financial support through the Disabled Veterans Scholarship Fund, Chris began studying law during the COVID-19 pandemic. The flexible structure of his course allowed him to work around insomnia, medication and recovery. 

“My study usually started in the evenings and continued long into the night,” he explained. “At first I filled notebooks with everything I learned, and then I upgraded to a huge A1 whiteboard. I loved that whiteboard.”  

While much of his first year was spent studying from his bed, Chris later took his books and laptop to local coffee shops overlooking the sea in Coleraine, completing assignments in the quiet early hours while the rest of his household slept. Family support played a central role throughout his studies. Chris is the father of eight children, aged between 17 and 32, and a grandfather to four.  

“My family were the anchors of my study,” he said. “Sometimes I would role-play legal scenarios from my assignments with them to make the questions feel more real.”  

Despite still being in recovery, Chris has already begun applying his legal research skills he developed during his degree. Using his new knowledge, he has successfully represented himself in court six time in cases ranging from consumer rights disputes to criminal damage. 

“From landlords to theft cases, I’ve been able to apply what I learned and achieved six successful outcomes,” he said. “The skills you learn through the OU are practical and useful in real-life situations.” 

Throughout his studies, Chris says he felt supported by tutors and student support teams who regularly checked in to ensure he had the help and flexibility he needed during difficult periods of recovery. 

Now that he has graduated, Chris is considering continuing his studies with a masters degree and exploring future opportunities within the legal profession. 

As the only person in his family to proceed to higher education, Chris says completing the degree is a moment of pride, not only for himself, but for his children and grandchildren. 

“I’m proud of the achievement, and I hope it motivates my kids and others to never give up on an academic aspiration,” he said. 

Chris’ advice for anyone considering studying with The Open University is simple: “Don’t think any further, just do it. You won’t regret it.” 

And for students struggling along the way, Chris has a motto that kept him going throughout his journey: 

“Just keep swimming.”