‘From tragedy to triumph’: Dad with MND who cannot talk or walk breaks four wheelchair Guinness World Records in one day

A father-of-three with motor neurone disease (MND) who cannot talk or walk has broken four wheelchair Guinness World Records in one day, going from “tragedy to triumph”.

Paul Jameson, 65, an entrepreneur from Godalming in Surrey, was diagnosed with a type of MND called Progressive Bulbar Palsy (PBP), which mainly affects the muscles of the face, throat and tongue, in June 2017.

Paul has lost the ability to speak, is no longer able to walk and requires the use of a wheelchair – but being “a born optimist”, he is always “smiling” and continues to challenge himself.

At the time of his diagnosis, Paul said he was given as little as six months to live and decided to create a bucket list, which included climbing Mont Blanc in the Alps and Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa.

However on Sunday, Paul attempted to break four Guinness World Records – the fastest mile pushing a wheelchair (by a female); the fastest mile pushing a wheelchair (by a male); the fastest time for two people to cover 400m in a wheelchair pulled by dogs; and the furthest distance covered for two people pulled by dogs in a minute – and he was successful.

The event at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey raised funds for the MND Association and was attended by hundreds of people, including actor and ex-footballer Vinnie Jones, who described Paul as “inspirational”.

Paul was cheered loudly by the crowd and could be seen smiling during each record attempt – and he described the day as “special”.

Speaking to PA Real Life through typing, Paul wrote: “When I was looking at wheelchair world records and saw the dog records, I knew immediately this was for me.

“It’s kept my mind engaged while my body is falling apart.

“It fills me with great joy that I can still achieve things like this, despite not being able to talk, walk or do a lot of the other things people can.

“A big well done to all the men, women and huskies that broke the records with me!”

Paul’s son David Jameson, 32, added: “It was an absolutely magical day, filled with wonderful people who have really lit a fire in Paul’s heart and helped inspire him to his amazing feats.

“It really gives you faith in humanity and how incredible people can be.

“It’s magical how something so tragic has turned into something so triumphant.”

Paul’s symptoms first started with slurred speech in the autumn of 2016, with his wife Jess, a GP, urging him to seek further medical advice.

After an MRI scan and an electromyography (EMG), which measures the electrical activity in the muscles, along with other tests, Paul said he was “devastated” to learn he had MND on June 12 2017.

“I immediately started crying,” Paul writes in his first book, Very Much Alive.

“My first question was, ‘How long do I have?’.”

MND causes muscle weakness which progressively worsens over time – it is usually life-shortening and there is currently no cure, but treatment can help to manage the symptoms.

The disease usually affects the limbs first, then the mouth region – but for Paul, with his specific PBP diagnosis, he said it was the other way around.

He writes in his book: “I now cannot talk, as my tongue and lips can no longer move. I also have difficulty swallowing and eating.”

However, with “so much life” left in him, Paul decided to create a bucket list, ticking off 50 achievements in two years.

Paul’s son David, who runs funeral provider company Aura with his father, said: “I remember dad said he wanted this to be the start of his life, not the end of his life – and he really embodied and lived that.”

Ahead of the event on Sunday, Paul said he was “excited yet nervous”, but he was “quietly confident” that he would break all four records – and he did just that.

Paul succesfully broke the Guinness World Records for the fastest mile pushing a wheelchair (by Luci Delaney) at six minutes and 47 seconds; the fastest mile pushing a wheelchair (by Iain Plumb) at five minutes and 14 seconds; the fastest time for two people to cover 400m in a wheelchair pulled by dogs at 44.9 seconds; and the furthest distance covered for two people pulled by dogs in a minute at 547 metres.

He described it as an “event like nothing before”, writing: “It was electric on the racetrack – the support was huge and it pushed everyone that much harder to get the records.”

Writing what it felt like to be pulled by six huskies, he added: “It was so fast it took my breath away!

“I have always loved dogs, so to be pulled by the world’s fastest was a special moment.”

Paul has surpassed the eight-year mark since his diagnosis and wants to continue planning “bonkers” challenges – although he does not yet know what his next one will be.

Summing up the day, he wrote: “I’m tired but my heart is very full.

“I’m so grateful to everyone who contributed to such a special day, none of this would happen without them.”

Vinnie Jones told PA Real Life: “It’s magnificent.

“I mean, as a kid, you want to be a world record breaker, don’t you? The second best is to be here and see it happen, so I’m absolutely over the moon for everybody that’s involved.”

To find out more about Paul and David’s company, Aura, visit: www.aura.life.