'My brother's life was turned upside down after a medical emergency - now he's in limbo'

A man who suffered a devastating stroke is in limbo at a rehab unit as his family struggles to find him somewhere suitable to live - saying he's too young to go into a care home. Gary Crutchley, 44, can't walk or talk properly after being put in a three-week induced coma in October 2020.

He suffered a stroke while working out at home. Gary, from Stockport, had brain surgery before a two-year hospital stay. He has recovered further at the Oakwood Acquired Brain Injury Rehabilitation Service in Offerton.

Despite being well enough to leave, his loved ones say he has nowhere to go, with a lack of suitable properties for someone with his needs.

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His sister Serene, 51, lives in Wales and says her home would be too far from her brother's social circle. The council, she said, has offered him places at care homes. That, Serene says, would 'damage his mental health' as he's too young.

Gary's 'independence would be stripped away' if he went into a care facility, his sibling added. He has kept memories of his early life and his outgoing personality, Serene said.

"What he requires is a home suitable for a disabled person," she told the Manchester Evening News. "There's a lack of disabled living, especially for young people that want to live an independent 'assisted' life, rather than a care facility.

"He categorically wouldn't go to a care home and I don't blame him - as a young man, it would ruin his mental health. His life has changed from what it was, he'll never have the freedom to do what he loves like hiking or riding his bike, but he can still be active with his friends.

"But first, he needs that independence." Recalling her