A Birmingham teenager who ‘lives life to the fullest’, despite being in and out of hospital, met Prince Harry before attending a prestigious awards ceremony where he was honoured.
The Duke of Sussex met inspirational Ansel Hayward, who is deaf, autistic and lives with a rare disease, severe epilepsy and a tracheostomy.
The pair spoke at a private reception shortly before 13-year-old Ansel was named a winner at London’s WellChild Awards for his bravery and resilience.
READ MORE: Prince Harry meeting remarkable Birmingham teenager, 13, for special reason
Ansel has seizures that can last for hours. Despite this, the brave teen was said to always focus on living life to the fullest.
He was named winner of the ‘Inspirational Young Person 12-14 Years Award’ at the ceremony, which took place at Royal Lancaster Hotel last night, Monday, September 8.
Ansel Hayward, 13, from Birmingham, with Prince Harry at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London
Ansel was praised for his compassion and his love of animals, nature and the environment.
He enjoys litter picking, recycling, and finding creative ways to reuse everyday items.
In a speech on the night, Prince Harry said: “For two decades, this event has shone a bright spotlight on the needs of children and young people living with complex medical conditions.
“But more than that, it has celebrated something far bigger: your courage, your resilience, and the extraordinary love of the families and carers who never stop showing up.”
He said the awards had become a “highlight” in his calendar since he first attended the awards 18 years ago.
Claire Watson, who nominated Ansel for the award, said: “Ansel is such a selfless young man who has made some very difficult decisions to live his life to the fullest, even if that means his life is shortened.
“I think receiving a WellChild Award will help him to see what a brave young man he is, how proud his parents are of him, and also just how much he is loved and respected by his family, his local and wider community.”
WellChild chief executive, Matt James, added: “Young people like Ansel embody what the WellChild Awards are all about – strength, compassion and the will to help others thrive in the face of adversity.
“We’re proud to have been celebrating their incredible stories for the past 20 years.”
WellChild is a national charity for seriously ill children and celebrates the inspirational achievements of seriously-ill children and those who care for them.