A man who was left paralysed and brain damaged in a brutal attack is able to communicate for the first time in 20 years thanks to the iPad.
Kevin Beverley (55), from Barnsley, could only make himself understood through grunts until he discovered an iPad app that “speaks” for him.
His first words were: “At last, someone can hear me.”
Mr Beverley’s family said they are now looking forward to getting to know him properly.
Staff at the Carlton daycare centre in his home town introduced him to the Grid Player application, which allows him to string sentences together by pressing symbols and pictures on his iPad.
“I love it. I think it is good, great,” said Mr Beverley. “I can talk. I can play games.”
Mr Beverley was left severely injured after an unprovoked attack in Barnsley two decades ago.
His life-changing injuries included severe brain damage, broken bones, right side paralysis and he also lost the ability to speak, meaning he could only communicate by making noises and gestures.
Mr Beverley’s cousin and carer, Elaine Sexton, said it was “absolutely fantastic” to converse with Mr Beverley again after so long and said the family cannot wait to find out more about him.
“It’s brilliant. It brings him out of himself and we’ll have the chance to get to know him better,” she said.