JOSEPH Musa has a wide, beautiful smile. He is the sort of person who lights up a room, who exudes warmth and happiness.

As he took his awkward, but determined steps to receive his degree from Essex University there was a justified sense of achievement.

When he was 16, Joseph’s world stopped. He had been playing with his brother, Casimir, and had dived into a swimming pool.

He hit his head and damaged his spinal cord. He was under the water and unable to move.

The accident happened five years ago, but Joseph remembers it clearly.

He said: “I was conscious. My eyes were open, but I could not move anything from the neck downwards.

“I was looking out of the water. My brother came and I told him: ‘Get my head out of the water’. I thought I was going to die. I thought I would not see anyone again.

“I could not move – my body was not responding to me.”

Joseph had moved to America from Nigeria two years earlier, but now his life had changed for ever.

He was taken to hospital and underwent surgery to have metal rods inserted into his back.

He said: “After surgery, mum was asking if it had been successful. They told her it was life-threatening. I was in a critical condition and was out of it for two days.

“When I woke up, I could move my elbows up and down, but that was all. Everything had changed so quickly. I could not do anything for myself.

“The doctors came in and said, from their experience, I would not be able to move even my toe for two years.

“I wanted to play football, to run and jump. People from the church came in and encouraged me. There was not any sympathy from them.”

Joseph refused to accept the doctors’ prognosis and told himself we would walk and run again. He said: “After two months, I was lying in my bed and I tried to move my foot. The pinky toe on my left foot moved – I was ecstatic. I did it again and again.

“Over the next few days, I moved every single toe and then my right foot, then my fingers.”

Joseph moved his knees and his legs and began the long and painful journey to rebuild his life.

With physiotheraphy, he learnt to stand again and then, slowly but determinedly, he began to walk, one step at a time.

He said: “After three months in hospital, I was able to lift myself up from the wheelchair and I could walk with support.” Joseph and his family returned to Nigeria after he completed his education, but then he set his sights on a history of art degree at Essex University.

In his First year, he still had to use a walker to get about and had to take medication, but Joseph wanted to experience every aspect of undergraduate life.

He went on research trips to London and, in his second year, negotiated the streets of Florence. Joseph still has some difficulty walking, but can walk unaided and no longer needs medication.

He has had quite a week. First, he won the learning and participation category at the Colchester Youth Awards, then he graduated from university with a 2:1. He plans to take a masters degree.

Joseph said: “I have been so humbled and grateful. I think there is no point in being depressed. It does not help you get better.

“You should try to be joyful and happy. After all, you are not dead.

“You are living and you have the opportunity to learn. You can do anything. You should not give up.”

l Nominations for next year’s Colchester Youth Awards will be open soon. Entries are invited for eight categories and details can be found by going to www.

colchesteryouthawards.org.