AGAINST all the odds a young artist with Down's Syndrome has recovered from a brain haemorrhage and has gone from strength to strength.
Matthew Nash, of The Priory, Billericay, proudly showed his work during the town's art trail and the Gazette heard his inspirational story.
His mother, Pauline, spoke of the tough time her son has been through. The year before last he had a brain haemorrhage caused by an infection requiring emergency surgery.
In May 2011 he started to feel unwell, suffered sickness and his condition quickly deteriorated.
Mrs Nash explained: "We thought he had 24-hour sickness but then he suffered headaches all over Easter. One morning he became unconscious and we took him to hospital. He had emergency surgery on his brain. He was critical and it was frightening – the doctors didn't understand how he managed to pull through."
She explained that the infection was caused by a germ which could have been something as simple as a sneeze. Matthew was in intensive care for three-and-a-half weeks at Queens Hospital, Romford.
Mrs Nash continued: "Luckily, he's done really well and Basildon Hospital was absolutely wonderful. Matthew has a heart condition as well and they fought to get him into Queen's that Tuesday night. He recovered very quickly and now he does riding for the disabled. He managed to ride again within four weeks and also got to his regular heart check-up as well."
She explained that Matthew, who has two brothers, Timothy, 28, and Paul, 24, has always shown an interest in art and in the last few years has taken to his pursuit more seriously.
"He even managed to do his art when he was in hospital – he would do anything for his art teacher Jackie Abrahams.
"She is wonderful; she's really brought him on and out of himself."
Matthew lives with Pauline, 58, who is a dress and soft furnishings maker, and father, Michael, 60, who is a retired maths teacher.
Mrs Nash explained her son first became interested in art when he started at The Endeavour School in Brentwood aged just five. He then went on to study at Woodlands School in Chelmsford.
Mrs Nash continued: "He carried on with his art the whole time and loves being taught by Jackie.
"She has introduced him to lots of artists and he looks to their work for inspiration. Since he's been with Jackie his art has really taken off and she sees he has a natural ability for colour.
"Matthew's work is all abstract and he is very much into colour – he like bright colour. He loves seascapes and landscapes and uses lots of different textures.
"I am very proud of him – the whole family is. He didn't set up his art to sell but two people are interested in two pieces which we didn't expect.
"He's had some good feedback."
She explained: "All his work is done with acrylics and he has done a little in water colour."
Art teacher Ms Abrahams of Cromwell Avenue, spoke of her student: "His work was in the trail for all of last week and is really impressive – he has done incredibly well."
Recalling when Matthew was ill she said: "I got a call out of the blue to hear that he was in hospital.
"When I visited I took some art things with me and he did art in there while he was recovering. Since then, he's done more than he's ever done before."