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Episode details

World Service,28 Jul 2021,40 mins

The 80s song that brought back my memories

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Available for over a year

In the aftermath of a car accident at 19 years old, Thomas Leeds was left with no memories of his childhood, of his family and friends, even cultural references were all wiped away. As Thomas began to rebuild his life he struggled with thoughts about his future because, he says, he didn't know where he'd come from. He became obsessed with the popular culture of the 80s and 90s — the era of his childhood — hoping something would trigger his memory. Then, aged 30 while planning the perfect playlist for his 80s-themed birthday party, a song suddenly unlocked memories that had been lost for 10 years. You can follow Thomas' story on twitter @thomasleeds Picture: Collage of pictures of Thomas Leeds' brain scans, as a child and recently in hospital getting tests Credit: All photos courtesy of Thomas Leeds Presenter: Emily Webb Producer: Mariana des Forges Get in touch: [email protected]

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