The saddening case of country footballer Beau Vernon has touched hearts around Australia; none more so than his former coach and current St Kilda development coach Paul Hudson.
Beau was playing his usual weekend match for Leongatha when a sickening knock dislocated one vertebrae and fractured another, leaving him a quadriplegic.
Unfortunately due to an insurance flaw, Beau’s family has been flagged with a bill of over $800,000 for his rehabilitation.
Sporting figures around Australia have gathered in various ways to help fit the enormous bill, and in particular Paul Hudson, a former Western Bulldogs great, has chimed in to help out his former player.
Paul has visited Beau roughly once a fortnight since the accident, and said he was surprised at just how up beat the unfortunate youngster is.
“I’ve seen him improve each time I’ve gone in and seen him. I didn’t know how I was going to react going in and seeing him in the wheelchair but he was actually moving himself around which I felt a little bit of a relief for him,” Paul told saints.com.au
“He had some movement in his hands the first time I came in, but then the next time I went in he’d had the neck brace taken off and the next time he was moving around really well with his arms.”
“He just wants to get to the point where he can move himself in and out of his chair so he doesn’t have to rely on someone for the rest of his life. He’s a determined bugger.”
“The times I’ve gone in and the chats we’ve had he’s very focused. His spirits are amazingly high and I was shocked at how positive he is. That’s the way he was as a kid. He won’t let something like that stop him in life which is good.”
Paul was Beau’s coach at Gippsland Power during 2005 and 2006, and stated he kept in touch with him especially after he missed out on being picked in the national draft.
“I met Beau in 2005 when I was at Gippsland Power coaching the under 18’s. He was the youngest player in that side that year. He played 2006 as well so I had the two years when I was coaching Beau.”
“He was a good little mid-sized type player. Reasonably quick, good skills.”
“He didn’t get drafted and I had a chat to him about life after not getting drafted because a lot of kids become despondent and down but he was actually entertaining going up to Brisbane and playing local footy but he ended up staying locally.”
Head clashes and the issue of concussion are becoming ever prevalent in AFL, and Paul admitted that seeing incidents like that of Kade Simpson in a recent match do make him think of Beau and what could potentially happen.
“You see guys get hit or knocked and you think, geez, is he going to get up? And that’s what happened with him.”
“I think any incident that happens like that, especially when it’s close to the head, you just don’t know how they might have fallen or landed or whatever.”
“You hear of that many accidents when we’re out getting king hit, and sometimes it’s not even the hit it’s how you land and how you hit your head.”
“It’s a concern and when you see people in those situations in footy you do think he mightn’t get up. They’re knocked out that badly. Kade Simpson when he got knocked out he just didn’t move and you just hope nothing terrible has happened.”
Paul has donated his EJ Whitten Legends jumper warn this year to raise money for Beau. To make a bid or view other items up for auction SMS the following text ‘R bvsports Your First Name Your Last Name’ to 0429 362 207 (ie. R bvsports John Smith to 0429 362 207). You will receive an SMS response with a link to show you the items up for auction and the option to bid on them.
To donate to the Beau Vernon fund click here and find out upcoming events to support him click here
