Brave Lydia Cross was just a little girl when she saw TV pictures of Mark Ormrod returning from Afghanistan a triple amputee after he was blown up by a Taliban bomb.
She had lost her own legs at the tender age of two to meningitis , so she was instantly moved to help the Marine and other soldiers like him.
“He’s got ‘leggies’ just like me,” she blurted out to her mum and, from that moment, she threw herself into fundraising for injured veterans.
She also struck up an unlikely friendship with the tough Marine.
Now the teenager is campaigning to raise awareness of the disease – backed by the injured war hero she helped almost 10 years ago.
This Saturday Lydia turns 16. She has blossomed into a compassionate young woman with a new mission in her sights.
Today Mark and Lydia speak about the remarkable bond between them and how they have helped each other every step of the way.
Lydia said: “Mark was my hero from the moment I met him. Even though I was just a little girl, I instantly connected with him because he had lost his legs like me.
“I was aware from an early age that our soldiers had sacrificed so much.
“Today I feel lucky in my life. There have been difficult times growing up but my family, friends and humour have seen me through the worst days.
“It’s important to me to help families who have been affected by meningitis and to raise awareness.
“Now I am older I am proud to get involved with campaigning and it is an honour to have Mark by my side to help. He is an inspiration to so many and together we can show everyone that life goes on even when you lose limbs.”
Lydia had her legs amputated below the knee after a GP misdiagnosed her condition as a virus. She has endured years of excruciating pain and operations as she continued to grow.
But despite all this, the incredible little girl battled through with remarkable courage and fortitude.
Lydia recalled: “I remember seeing Mark and other soldiers on the television after returning from war and it was just an instinct to want to help.
“It was also a challenge for me to show I could still do things even though I had lost my legs too.
“I started off by swimming a mile and then I did a big run with Mark and some other Marines to raise funds and awareness for military charities.
“The fundraising just snowballed from there, doing cake sales and a mini wheelchair marathon, raising £78,000. I was even privileged to launch the Poppy Appeal one year with Mark.”
She also lobbied Princes William and Harry for help to make the lives of our injured soldiers more bearable.
Mark – who was hailed as Prince Harry’s hero – told how the courage of a little girl with no legs helped pull him through his darkest hours. The Commando stepped on a landmine on Christmas Eve 2007 while on patrol in Helmand – losing his right arm and both legs above the knee.
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