"At one point I became homeless and had to start sofa surfing. Having a permanent home with my family wasn't an option."
Lewis spent 12 hours a day in his school's library, as he says it was "the only place I could study".
He had previously left school at 17 and worked in debt management for three years before returning as mature student.
His school, Coleg y Cymoedd (Valleys College) in Nantgarw, near Pontypridd, South Wales managed to support him by accessing a student hardship fund.
And it looks like it paid off - Lewis achieved four As in History, Law, Sociology and the Welsh Baccalaureate. He even gained a 100 per cent in his history A-level and 100 per cent in law overall.
He is the first student from the college to win a place to study law at Cambridge University.
"I'm absolutely delighted with my results and I hope this shows Welsh students that with hard work and dedication this can be done and dreams can come true," he said.
- nzherald.co.nz
