Paralysed musician writes new album after recovery at Sheffield rehabilitation facility
He was put into an induced coma for three weeks and spent six months in hospital recovering before being transferred to Sheffield
A musician left paralysed after a car accident and forced to relearn how to talk has written a new album during a stay at a Sheffield rehabilitation facility inspired by his coma dreams.
John Smith, aged 29, was a passenger when his friend was driving in March 2023 when they crashed, leaving him with a serious spinal cord injury and paralysed from the chest down.
He was put into an induced coma for three weeks and spent six months in hospital recovering before being transferred to STEPS rehabilitation Troutbeck Road in the Woodseats area of Sheffield.
During this time, John began making notes on his phone of song lyrics and working with a music therapist – even learning how to play the ukulele.
He then began writing and recording ideas by humming or mumbling before he was able to get into a studio to record.
His new album – Peace I Can’t Wake To – is inspired by his time in hospital and recovery and will be released today (September 24).
John, from Lincoln, Lincolnshire, says: “In March 2023 my friend messaged me asking if I wanted to go for a drive.
“We were going around 80mph and she didn’t see the corner in time. We spun around the corner. I had to get cut out of the car.
“I realised straight away something was really wrong because I couldn’t feel my legs almost straight away.”
John was rushed to Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham, where he was put into an induced coma before being rushed for emergency surgery to stabilise his spine.
He remained in a coma for three weeks.
“I think everyone else knew [he was paralysed] because the night I got into hospital I had an MRI and they were waiting for the results,” he said.
“And then when I woke up, I just knew."
John was paralysed from the chest down and says recovery was “pretty hard”, but he was “determined”.
“I had to have a tracheostomy and couldn’t talk,” he said.
“After I got the tracheostomy out, I had to talk again, but I couldn’t talk for that long without getting out of breath.”
Whilst in hospital, he slowly began creating his new album.
“I wrote it on my notes app on my phone because I could do that one hand,” he said.
He said the first half of the album is inspired by his coma dreams.
“My last coma dream has heavily inspired it.
“I remember my son in my dream, and I know it sounds cliché, but I remember my gran’s laugh as well.
“The other half of the album is about what life was like in the ICU.”
John has also been diagnosed with autonomic dysreflexia.
“It happens when something uncomfortable is causing pain where I can’t feel,” John says.
“My body sends my blood pressure sky high until it can figure out the cause.
“The main issues are with my bladder, bowels or skin that cause it.
“When I first had it I thought I had a headache.
“Luckily, it was just before I went to STEPS in Sheffield, and they knew all about it and told me it was serious.
“If you don’t manage to sort it, it can cause a stroke.
“I’ve created a petition to raise awareness and get it put forward to health professionals where the NHS staff are trained for it and know what it is.