'He was truly superhuman but was treated appallingly'
by whom, I wonder? .... now let me guess??
'He later joined NATS and must have thought he'd died and gone to Heaven'
not now, he wouldn't. probably thinks he's just died.
At some places, HD, things have changed so much for the ATSAs even you wouldn't recognise it as the job or the people which once supported you.
on the other hand, some things haven't changed at all...