The plucky kid unable to walk who dreams of kicking a football like Aston Villa hero Jack Grealish – Birmingham Live

Born three months premature with a severe bleed on his tiny brain, plucky Oscar Michell continues to fight for normality every single day of his life.

Now six, the Aston Villa-obsessed youngster has been living with a crippling - and excruciating - cerebral palsy condition the majority of his short life meaning he's never been able to walk.

Since his first birthday, Oscar has been struck with devastating nerve damage in his back which has attacked, tightened and stiffened the muscles in his legs meaning his only means of getting about is by his wheelchair or by crawling.

Oscar, who lives in Whalley Range, Manchester, lives in pain every single day as his body struggles to cope - especially through the night. Simple day-to-day stuff like getting dressed and showering are tough, with mum Dawn and dad Simon trying their best to stay positive.

Dad Simon, 44, originally from Studley, told BirminghamLive : "Honestly, Oscar's braver than I could ever be. He overcomes every obstacle thrown his way, he's got such a can-do attitude despite being the odd one out, if you like, at school and not being able to do things for himself.

"He kept telling us he was living his best life at home in lockdown, he's such a character and as bright as a button, he'd talk the hind legs off a donkey!"

Detailing his son's condition, Simon added: "He's got cerebral palsy, he was born 13 weeks early and had a bleed on his brain and a number of heart issues. I think he's the smallest person to ever have a pacemaker fitted at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool.

"His diagnosis came after 12 months. We knew something wasn't right, it was a shock and all his nerves in his legs and back started to seize up, he wasn't as attentive, wasn't rolling over and stuff anymore. It basically paralysed him and the quality of life we hoped he'd have was gone."

Oscar's devoted parents are now rallying to raise 65,000 for life-changing selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) treatment. The family have been denied the operation off the NHS as it sadly falls out of a specific category of seriousness.

"What the op will do is cut the nerves on the spinal cord that are responsible for the tension in the legs," added dad Simon, a Villa Park season-ticket holder for the past 30 years. "Once this tightness has been eased, there is then an intensive course of physiotherapy which will attempt to correct the structure of his muscles and tendons. Potentially, if we can maximise the benefits of this for Oscar, he may even be able to stand on his own two feet in future."

So far, more than 100 family, friends, fellow Villa supporters and kind-hearted strangers have all helped donate 10,000 to fund Oscar's life-changing operation which will enable him to walk again. Another 55,000 is needed, though, with Oscar's condition worsening by the day.

"He's so positive, is Oscar," added Simon, who works in finance, who added of Oscar's love of the Villa: "He's obsessed. I took him to his first Premier League game last year when we lost in the last-minute to Liverpool at Villa Park. He was up and down off his seat and told me, 'Can I come every week.'.

"He has to stick up for himself at school living in Manchester, he's surrounded by City and United fans but he's proud to be a Villan. I've taken him to a few youth-team games because it's hard on usual match-days because there's not many vacant wheelchair spaces for him."

Simon continued: "One of his dreams is to just play football like his mates at school. He gives it a bash in his wheelchair but his dream to to be able to run about and kick a football just like Jack (Grealish) and to be normal."

You can donate towards Oscar's operation total HERE. For fund-raising ideas, drop Simon an email on operationoscarsdr@gmail.com.

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The plucky kid unable to walk who dreams of kicking a football like Aston Villa hero Jack Grealish - Birmingham Live