A man who fell down an 80ft Welsh gorge is hoping to head home after a final operation on his broken leg.
Restaurant worker Alex Catt has been in hospital in Stoke since the traumatic accident below Pistyll Cain, Snowdonia, on September 8.
And the 24-year-old has been using the time to start fundraising for the lifesaving crew which found him after the fall.
The Green Party Executive was winched out of the gorge by the South Snowdonia Search and Rescue Team after being trapped for eight hours.
Mr Catt, who was on holiday with his parents at the time of the fall, has started an online fundraiser for the North Wales Mountain Search and Rescue Team association which consists of the team that came to his aid.
He said: "I probably wouldn't be here if it wasn't for them. I just want to say thank you so much for everything they do.
"I think it is amazing the team are volunteers. It is insane that it isn't someone's job and the charity isn't government funded."
Recalling the accident, the 24-year-old added: "When I first went off the side into the gorge I thought I was going to die. I remember falling off the edge and waking up. I hadn't hit my head and neck, sorted out my bleeding, found a water source and went to sleep."
After struggling to get a mobile phone signal he could not call 999 but his location was shared with the mountain rescue team from his parents, who he could message.
After being winched out he was flown to Bangor Hospital by helicopter with a broken left leg and ankle, two broken ribs, damage to his kidney and spleen, a dislocated shoulder, cuts and bruises and a black eye.
He was transferred to the major trauma unit at Royal Stoke University Hospital a day later.
Mr Catt said one side of his body is still in pain but he was hoping the external frame around his broken left leg would be taken off this week so he can finally head home.
The Pizza Hut deputy manager expected to make a full recovery following a few more weeks of physiotherapy at Royal Stoke University Hospital.
To donate visit https://bit.ly/3zysk1d
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