​​A special forces soldier who became paralysed from a gunshot wound to the neck has shared his journey of discovering the true meaning of bravery since leaving the military and navigating his new life. 

Toby, who is originally from South Africa was a keen surfer and motocross racer. He passed selection for the Special Boat Services at the age of 23. He was determined to be the best at what he did and push his limits as he was extremely passionate about what he did.

Unfortunately, Toby was injured when he was shot in the shoulder while serving in Afghanistan. He was given the opportunity to return home, but he decided to stay with the squadron – a decision which led to his career ending in the most abrupt way imaginable.

November 13th 2009, Toby Gutteridge’s life changed forever. He was shot during a special operation in Afghanistan. This resulted in his spinal cord being severed which paralysed him from the neck down instantly.

He was airlifted to Camp Bastion before being transferred to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham where he remained in a coma for weeks and his loved ones were told to prepare for the worst. Despite everything that has happened to Toby Gutteridge, he reflects and said that it was bad luck to be shot but he is lucky to be alive. This mentality that Toby carries is inspirational as he is determined to carry on fighting every day whilst being brave and keep moving forward no matter how tough things get as he wants to push his limits and is passionate about everything he does. 

Toby defied the odds to survive and is now ventilated and uses a wheelchair. However, he is determined to live life to the fullest and make a difference. 

With this determination, the concept of Bravery was brought to life. Bravery is a clothing company that covers Skate, Surf and Motocross apparel and gear serving proof to others that anything is possible when you put your mind and soul to it. 

How did Bravery come about? 

Toby never considered what the word "bravery" meant to him while he was in the military. It was only after his injury that he truly began to understand its significance and how it is about getting up every morning, confronting your deepest fears, and doing things that don’t come easily.

It has been a constant journey that has taken a lot of time and there have been quite dark times but Toby is constantly pushing forward and trying to lead a good normal life. He is determined to make the most of it which is where Bravery came from. No matter how tough it gets, you can still turn it around into something good that you can reflect on and be proud of.  

The message that Toby Gutteridge wants people to understand from his brand Bravery is that if Toby can overcome life changing challenges and face each day with whatever challenges they may hold, anyone can. 

"My life has changed but it doesn't mean its the end, I am just taking a different route. We are on this earth to live big and not small. Life is for living" - Toby Gutteridge