Brave Brynn completes gruelling 20k challenge

A fourteen-year-old boy from Mid Yell with a range of debilitating mobility issues has completed an exhausting 20km challenge in just two days while fundraising for a new wheelchair.

Brynn Hauxwell covered 10km on both Saturday and Sunday, navigating steep hills and sharp declines in Fethaland on Saturday before having to deal with the wind “kicking the sand up into his face” at St Ninian’s Isle on Sunday.

He described the Sunday as the “best day of my life so far” as he finally got over the line and completed the draining endurance test.

Brynn suffers from ADHD, autism, brittle asthma and both of his ankles are frozen at a 40º angle, meaning he is unable to walk anything but short distances.

Ability Shetland had donated an active wheelchair for Brynn to use during his challenge, but his aim had been to raise enough for his own lightweight, active wheelchair so that he could continue leading his active lifestyle.

Through charity Just4Children, he had aimed to raise £6,666, but has since smashed that target and has raised over £8,400 to date, and Brynn said that he was “speechless” that they had hit their target so quickly.

His mum, Kim Hauxwell, said that she “couldn’t be more proud” of Brynn and his sister, Faith, who walked with Brynn the entire weekend.

“I still can’t believe it.

“We couldn’t have done it without the help of everybody”.

Volunteers, friends and complete strangers had visited Brynn as he made his odyssey, and Ms Hauxwell said that some of them had even brought ropes to help Brynn up the steepest hills.

The family have been now been able to order Brynn his own personalised active wheelchair, being sent from Germany on Monday 28th October.

And messages of support have come in from Sir Chris Hoy, Paralympian Danielle Brown and even a primary school in East Sussex, who had shared Brynn’s story as part of a discussion on inspirational people.

Anyone who wants to donate to Brynn’s cause still can at https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/BreakingDownBarrierswithBrynn?fbclid=IwAR1IdSRpVS22DoKPdRX_oQzKn0wLFPiRvDYPrP0K6J3XsT8Pdww6RdvoKRo

More in this Friday’s edition of The Shetland Times.