At just 19 years old, Laura Till's life nearly ended on a rain-lashed stretch of the M1 motorway. The sports coaching student was driving to a work induction when a collision with a lorry sent her car spinning across four lanes of traffic.
Laura found herself trapped in the fast lane, facing oncoming vehicles. She vividly recalls seeing a white van speeding toward her, convinced these were her final moments. Miraculously, the vehicle swerved away at the last possible second.
Recovery and Resilience
Emergency services freed Laura from the wreckage and rushed her to Nottingham's Queen's Medical Centre major trauma unit. While her injuries weren't life-threatening, she sustained significant soft tissue damage, whiplash, and nerve damage affecting her right side.
The psychological impact proved equally challenging. Laura developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) requiring extensive therapy including physiotherapy, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR).
"For a while, I struggled to do even simple tasks like wash my hair," Laura admits. Yet the near-death experience sparked a profound shift in perspective for the young woman.
Building Ambition from Adversity
Rather than letting the experience define her negatively, Laura chose to embrace life's fragility. She completed her sports coaching degree and channelled her energy into creating positive change.
"I've been involved in sports since I was six years old," Laura explains. "I realised that life is too short not to follow what you want to do."
With a £5,000 grant, she established Ambition Sports Coaching Ltd, focusing on using sport and exercise to support vulnerable young people in education. The funding helped purchase a vehicle to reach schools across the region.
Community Impact and Recognition
Two years after founding her company, Laura now leads a team of ten professionals working with children facing emotional, mental health, and social challenges. Her organisation provides both physical education and structured educational support.
The business's remarkable impact has earned significant recognition. In 2025, Ambition Sports Coaching won The Community Business of the Year for Leicestershire and The Young Entrepreneur award at the Great British Entrepreneur awards. Laura also received silver for National Businesswoman of the Year.
"I'm always focused on helping others," Laura reflects. "Sometimes it takes a moment to step back and realise how far I have come and the impact I've had on others."
Despite her success, Laura continues to manage PTSD symptoms, including nightmares and anxiety about driving. She prefers travelling with passengers and often takes longer routes to avoid motorways.
Through determination and resilience, Laura has transformed personal tragedy into community triumph, proving that even the most challenging circumstances can become the foundation for extraordinary achievement.
