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The Last Word With Matt Cooper

"I Never Knew My Potential Until I Lost My Legs"

Paul McNeive has had a varied career, from being managing director of Savill's estate agents to beco...
TodayFM
TodayFM

6:24 PM - 18 May 2018



The Last Word With Matt Cooper

"I Never Knew My Potential Until I Lost My Legs"

TodayFM
TodayFM

6:24 PM - 18 May 2018

Listen to this episode



Paul McNeive has had a varied career, from being managing director of Savill's estate agents to becoming a bestselling author.

His latest book is The Manhattan Project, which tells the story of a Japanese criminal mastermind taking revenge on the United States for Hiroshima, in which his family was wiped out.

The book also deals with the idea of antibiotic resistance, a subject that piqued Paul's interest due to his own experience of losing his legs in a fire aged 20.

He says that antibiotic resistance "should terrify us - 750,000 people a year die from antibiotic resistant bacteria."

"A chief medical officer in the UK recently said that we're on the verge of a post-antibiotic apocalypse, and there's no particular answer in sight."

"It's a bit like global warming. It's happening slowly but everybody believes it won't happen on our watch."

This is Paul's second book. Five years ago he wrote Small Steps, an autobiographical book about his recovery and what he learned along the way.

The fire, which followed a car crash, resulted in him spending "months in bed, a year in hospital and months in wheelchairs."

He describes the loss of his legs as "a life-saving procedure."

"The support from family and friends was incredible. That's what gets you through it."

As well as writing books and columns, Paul is also a motivational speaker and a helicopter pilot, though he no longer flies. He says it's a goal he never dreamed he could achieve when he left school.

"I never knew how much potential I had until the rehabilitation process taught me how to achieve things: simple goal setting, a plan of small steps, visualisation, positive thinking, how to deal with setbacks."

Writing came naturally to him. His father was an English teacher and he "devoured books" as a child.

He describes The Manhattan Project as a dream come true, and has already started writing the follow-up.

To catch the full chat press the play button on the image on the top of the screen


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