A TEENAGER who battled depression and anorexia has completed a skydive to say "thank you" to the charity he says saved his life.
Eighteen months ago, Josh Dutson's weight had dropped to a dangerous 8st and he was refusing to step outside his front door after being bullied at school.
Now, the 17-year-old has raised more than £800 for fly2help, the charity which helped him to overcome his problems, by performing the daring skydive at Duke of Gloucester Barracks in South Cerney.
Mother Melissa, 42, said she was immensely proud of her son.
She said: "He has come so far and to see him do that was simply amazing. He has come back from the brink.
"He was completely broken but thanks to the hard work of others and his own determination to pull through, he has made it.
"I'm absolutely ecstatic and so pleased for him."
Josh, who lives with his mother in Compton Abdale, left his school two years ago after consistent bullying drove him into anorexia and a severe depression.
He was referred to the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services at Delancey Hospital, in Cheltenham, where he was weighed, given supplement drinks to help him put on weight and offered therapy.
Josh was also visited by teachers at his home to help him continue with his studies and give him the confidence to keep his life as normal as possible.
But Melissa says the real turning point came when Josh applied for a flying scholarship with fly2help at Kemble Airport.
The teenager was shown around the airport, taught the basics of flying and offered the chance to help to build an aircraft.
Josh, who is currently studying for his A-Levels at Gloucestershire College, now harbours ambitions of becoming an air traffic controller.
Melissa said: "It completely turned his life around. I am so grateful to everyone at fly2help for all they did. They have really made a difference."
Mandy Pantall, fundraising director for fly2help, thanked Josh for his generosity.
She said: "There can be no better testament to the success of our work than a previous beneficiary who later returns to offer their support to us." Tuesday, April 21, 2009, 08:00 (This is Gloucestershire)