"There was a time when I couldn’t see a future. Now, I’m able to do the things I love."
Phil, from Somerset, was serving as a Royal Marine Commando in Afghanistan when his life changed forever. Just days before returning home to his wife Julie and their three sons, he became seriously ill with Q Fever, a rare disease that caused devastating damage to his body.
Within months, Phil went from being one of the fittest people in the military to needing a powered wheelchair and 24-hour care.
Today, with the support of his Canine Partner Cooper, Phil has rebuilt his independence, rediscovered purpose and become an award-winning Paralympic athlete, inventor and motivational speaker.
Life turned upside down
Before becoming ill, Phil had spent years serving around the world as a Royal Marine Commando, including tours in Iraq, Malaysia, Brunei, and Afghanistan. But after contracting Q Fever in 2010, his health deteriorated rapidly. “It felt like my whole life disappeared overnight.”
Chronic muscle weakness, severe fatigue and organ damage left him unable to walk and reliant on a powered wheelchair. “Within months, I’d gone from being among the fittest people in the country to needing full-time care.”
Back home in Somerset, everyday life became incredibly difficult. Phil was unable to lift his newborn son, kick a football with his older boys, or complete even simple daily tasks without exhaustion. “It was devastating. I hated feeling like a burden on my family.”
The emotional impact was just as severe, leaving Phil struggling deeply with his mental health. “I genuinely couldn’t see a future.”
Finding purpose again
Over time, Phil began rebuilding his confidence through target shooting, eventually competing internationally for Ireland in Paralympic shooting and winning a World Championship medal. “I wanted to show my boys that whatever happens in life, there’s always something afterwards.”
Another life-changing moment came in 2016, when Phil was partnered with Cooper, a Golden Labrador cross, after hearing about Canine Partners from another former Royal Marine. “Cooper completely changed my life.”
Cooper helps Phil with everyday tasks that would otherwise leave him exhausted – picking up dropped items, opening doors, and even helping him undress when needed.
But Cooper’s biggest impact has gone far beyond practical support. “With disabilities, it’s easy to become isolated. Cooper gets me out into the world again because he needs walks, and I want to give something back to him too.”
Cooper also helped Phil reconnect with family life. “He helped me become a more involved dad again. He’d pick up the boys’ toys from the floor and come with us on family trips.”
Having Cooper by his side brought comfort during difficult moments too. “He’s like a comfort blanket. Just having him there is reassuring.”
In 2017, Cooper even made headlines after yawning dramatically while appearing on stage with Prince Harry at a veterans’ mental health conference. “He definitely stole the spotlight that day.”
Facing the world differently
As Phil adjusted to life in a wheelchair, he found the experience frustrating and isolating. “People would see the wheelchair before they saw me. They’d speak to the person with me instead of talking to me directly.”
Determined to change that, Phil began designing a new kind of powered wheelchair – one that would help people navigate the world with greater confidence and freedom. The result was the Omni wheelchair, now recognised as one of the world’s most advanced powered wheelchairs.
Designed using Phil’s own lived experience, it can tackle difficult terrain, climb kerbs, travel at speed, and raise users to eye level with the people around them. “I wanted to create something that empowered people instead of limiting them.”
Through the hardest moments
Despite his achievements, Phil continued to face difficult periods. Throughout those moments, Cooper remained a constant source of support and stability. “He’s been priceless for my mental health.”
More recently, after more than a decade in a wheelchair, Phil was prescribed medication that temporarily restored some of his ability to walk. Although he knows the effects may not last forever, he remains determined to make the most of every opportunity.
“There’s always life afterwards”
Looking back, Phil knows his journey would have been very different without Cooper. “Without Cooper, my world would be much smaller. He didn’t just help me adapt to life after Afghanistan – he helped me rebuild it.”
Phil says the support he received from Canine Partners inspired him to help others facing their own challenges. “The work the charity does is incredible – it truly transforms lives. That’s why my focus now is on paying that forward by sharing my story and inspiring other.
Today, Phil spends his time motivational speaking, developing mobility technology and raising awareness of disability and veterans’ mental health. “There was a time when I couldn’t imagine what my future would look like. Now, I’m able to do the things I love, achieve my goal and enjoy life again. If my story shows people anything, I hope it’s that no matter what you’ve been through, there’s always hope.”
There was a time when I couldn’t imagine what my future would look like. Now, I’m able to do the things I love, achieve my goal and enjoy life again. If my story shows people anything, I hope it’s that no matter what you’ve been through, there’s always hope.