A student who suffered a serious spinal cord injury has graduated from the University of Bristol with a first-class master’s degree in biological sciences.
Archie Wills-Johnson was a year into his degree when he was injured during an American football match, describing the moment as feeling like a “big electric shock” down his right arm after a tackle.
Scans revealed a herniated disc in his neck — where a cartilage cushion between vertebrae slips out of place — which was pressing against his spinal cord.
Archie said: “The doctors told me that without treatment, the excruciating electric shocks would continue and I could end up paralysed if I risked playing contact sport again.
“It was hard to hear, but I had to face the reality of it.”
He underwent emergency surgery where surgeons accessed his neck from the front, removed the damaged cartilage between his fifth and sixth vertebrae, and replaced it with titanium, held in place with screws.
Archie said: “They went through my neck at the front and took out the cartilage between my fifth and sixth vertebrae.
“They replaced it with titanium and screwed it in place. It was frightening but I knew I had no choice.”
While the operation prevented further damage, Archie still experiences chronic nerve pain in his arm two and a half years later.
The injury also ended his contact sports career.
He stayed involved in the sport by becoming a coach and vice president of Bristol Barracuda, the university’s American football team.
He said: “I couldn’t play but I still loved being involved with the team.
“I became a coach, and I started the flag football team – a form of non-contact American football to help injured players back in so they could train doing something that’s slightly less risky and get their strength back up.
“It wasn’t the same as playing but I was able to stay connected to the sport and the community that meant so much to me.”
Archie, from Gloucestershire, was the first in his family to go to university.
He came from an area with low progression to higher education and described the journey as challenging but rewarding.
His academic achievements include a third-year project mapping mammal distribution across Zanzibar, now under a second round of peer review for publication.
He said: “We collaborated with local schools and researchers to identify key areas for further ecological assessment, helping the government prioritise regions for protection against development.
“I’m passionate about finding the balance between human development and environmental preservation — how we can meet our needs for food and infrastructure without causing unnecessary harm to the planet.”
Last year, Archie was awarded the university’s Outstanding PLUS Award in recognition of his resilience following the injury.
Professor Nick Roberts, head of the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Bristol, said: “We are extremely proud to see Archie graduate.
“He has demonstrated incredible resilience throughout his degree and has helped create such a positive environment in his year group.
“He is an inspiration to others, and we wish him all the best for the future.”
