THE grandmother of an Anglesey soldier left brain damaged by a hit and run driver in Germany spoke of her joy at his return to British soil.
Queen’s Dragoon Guardsman Oliver Robinson, of Bodedern, landed at Heathrow on Tuesday afternoon after spending two months in a hospital near his base in Paderborn.
Pat Clarke, of Holyhead, said that the past two months had been a living nightmare for the family.
She added: “We’ve all been very distressed - we’re still not sure how much of the Oliver we know will come back to us.
“But we’re just over the moon that he is home.”
Oliver, 25, underwent an operation to remove part of his skull after he was struck down by the car on March 15.
Oliver was left with cognitive and communicational problems.
He was later moved to recuperate at Hessich Oldendorf Hospital and is now continuing his rehabilitation at Headley Court Military Hospital in Surrey.
Oliver’s family called on the Army to fly him home last week but the Ministry of Defence followed doctor’s advice for him to stay in Germany.
He was flown home after passing a pre-flight assessment. His mother Mary, a staff nurse at Ysbyty Penrhos Stanley in Holyhead, and father Andrew stayed with Oliver during his ordeal.
Mrs Clarke said that Oliver’s progress was miraculous and hoped that his condition would continue to improve.
She added: “I hope the rehabilitation place will work a couple more miracles and have our boy back as he was.”
Mrs Clarke paid tribute to the German hospital and to the Army for looking after her grandson and said that a brief visit to his barracks lifted Oliver’s spirits.
“He was allowed out one weekend to stay with his mum and dad near the base,” she said. “He saw all his buddies, went to the navvy and it really perked him up.”
It is not known when Oliver will be fit to come home, but Oliver’s family are cautiously optimistic about the future.
“We don’t know what the future will bring, obviously, but this is a big step in Oliver’s rehabilitation and we are very happy.”
German police are investigating the hit and run incident but no one has been charged.