Toby Gutteridge had a difficult and destructive childhood before leaving South Africa at the age of 19 to join the Royal Marines, with whom he completed a six-month tour of duty in Afghanistan as part of 40 Commando. He was accepted into the Special Boat Service after becoming one of the youngest-ever candidates to pass the elite selection process. He returned to Afghanistan, leading hostage rescues behind enemy lines, and was mentioned in despatches in recognition of his gallantry. In November 2009, two weeks after being wounded in a full frontal assault on a Taliban stronghold, while heavily outnumbered, he was shot through the neck, surviving despite not breathing for at least 20 minutes. Induced into a coma in Afghanistan, and transported to the UK, doctors recommended that his life support machine be switched off, but with the defiance that defined his recovery, Toby overcame overwhelming odds. Quadriplegic, capable of movement only with his head, he has conquered profound physical and mental challenges to rebuild his life. At his lowest ebb, in a psychiatric unit in Southampton following neglect by a series of inadequate care teams, he was determined to return to formal education on his release. He earned a first-class honours degree in Business Studies at Bournemouth University and now runs his company Bravery.