Tech entrepreneur Raina Heverin has opened up about the life-changing injuries she suffered in a freak fall six months ago.
The co-founder of Liverpool-based EdTech Supplywell is thought to have been sleepwalking when she fell from the balcony of a Paris Airbnb in April while on a family trip with her brother and sister-in-law.
A JustGiving campaign that was launched to support her recovery has so raised over £40,000.
Raina, whose husband Michael is the CEO of Supplywell, continues to undergo a range of intensive rehabilitation, speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and psychological support.
Writing on LinkedIn she said: “Six months ago, my life changed in an instant.
“I was a mum-of-two, a wife, and an entrepreneur running two successful businesses.
“My brain was always ticking – always thinking about the next idea, the next growth strategy, the next big goal.
“My identity was so deeply wrapped in being the doer, the leader, the one who could handle it all.
“Then, during what was meant to be a simple long weekend away, everything changed. I fell from a balcony.
“I was in a coma for nearly a month with three lesions on my brain stem.
Appeal to raise £40k after Liverpool founder suffers serious fall
“When I woke up, I couldn’t walk or talk properly. My world had completely shifted.
“For the past six months, I’ve been in hospital working on rehabilitation and recovery – learning how to move, speak, and live again.
“The journey has been confronting, humbling, and transformative.”
Heverin said the whole experience has changed her whole perspective.
“I realised my worth wasn’t only in what I could do, but in who I am.
“Resilience isn’t always about ‘bouncing back’. Sometimes, it’s about rebuilding – slowly, painfully, and with unwavering hope.
“It’s celebrating progress that others might not even see. It’s showing up, even when everything feels impossible.
Raina Heverin with husband Michael and their two children before the fall
“My husband (Michael) has been my rockstar. My two incredible kids are my daily reason to keep going.
“And this experience – as brutal as it’s been – has reminded me that strength doesn’t always roar. Sometimes it simply whispers, ‘try again today’.
“Success looks very different to me now. It’s not just about business milestones. It’s about standing – even if only for a few seconds.
Finding my voice
“It’s about finding my voice again – one word at a time. It’s about gratitude, presence, and purpose.
“To anyone facing a life-altering challenge: You are not broken. You are being rebuilt.”
As well as SupplyWell, Heverin is the founder of ReCulture, which is on a mission to ‘do recruitment differently’ – matching people and opportunities on culture as well as skills.
Last year she offered advice to more than 20 businesses on the ‘people’ masterclass at BusinessCloud’s FUEL Liverpool event.