Viral video from disabled teenager Lewis Hine sparks worldwide attention

Emma and Lewis Hine on BBC Breakfast this morning. Photo: BBC

Lewis Hine, from Havant, shared the clip on the social media website on Friday and since then it has been watched more than 12 million times.

In the video Lewis explains how he spent most of his childhood in and out of hospital, and that he still suffers from regular seizures after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Since the video was posted the family have received ‘tens of thousands’ of messages from wellwishers around the world.

Speaking to The News Lewis, 16, said: ‘It’s been crazy, getting messages from all these random people.

‘It’s amazing, kind of good in a way.’

Among the messages have been invitations to appear on television shows and to speak at a disability conference in Geneva, in Switzerland.

This morning Lewis and his mum Emma appeared on BBC Breakfast to talk about the video.

The pair appeared on BBC Breakfast this morning to talk about the video. Photo: BBC

Emma said: ‘We’ve had messages from Spain and Switzerland, and others. The most positive thing is that there are thousands of comments online but none of them are negative.

‘I feel a bit like his agent at the minute. It has been amazing.’

The video has been shared more than 315,000 times on Facebook, with more than 13,000 leaving a comment.

To top off an eventful few days, music legend Sir Elton John rang Lewis at home to tell him how inspired he was after seeing the video.

Lewis included pictures in the video showing him in hospital as a child. Photo: Lewis Hine

Lewis said the Candle In The Wind singer had told him that it was good to hear that someone in the world was trying to help children with disabilities.

As previously reported in The News, in 2015 Lewis launched Friend Finder, which aims to make sure people who miss school through illnesses or disabilities have the chance to socialise and make friends.

He is currently raising funds for his first Friend Finder prom to help people who missed their own school prom.

But Lewis is not the only child in the Hine family who has won the hearts of people in the area.

His 17-year-old sister Chloe won praise from prime minister Theresa May for her anti-bullying campaign.

For more information go to Lewis’ Facebook page.