27 years after being left paralysed by an innocuous tackle, Haydock’s Luke Bryan continues to battle through adversity with support from the RL Benevolent Fund and the Steve Prescott Foundation.
LUKE BRYAN is not a name that many rugby league fans will be familiar with.
The 45-year-old former Haydock ARLFC player never got to enjoy the profile in the sport that he had dreamed of as a junior at his hometown club.
But in many ways, Luke is a veritable sporting giant, a man who everyone in rugby league should be aware of, even if the circumstances of his life will leave many people feeling uncomfortable.
A precocious talent, Luke made his open age debut for Haydock at just 15, having impressed at schoolboy level, when he achieved an early ambition by playing at Central Park, the then home of his favourite team, Wigan.
However, his dream of wearing the club’s famous cherry and white strip were cruelly dashed two years later in an under-18s match between Haydock and Folly Lane when and his life was changed forever.
“I just went down in an ordinary tackle and couldn’t get up again,” recalled Luke. “I had a feeling of pins and needles and was taken to hospital.
“The next thing I remember was waking up three months later in hospital in Southport.”
Luke had damaged vertebrae in his neck and was left irreversibly paralysed from the neck down, able to breathe only with the help of a mechanical ventilator.
“It was a bit of a shock to be hooked up to a ventilator but the hospital were great, they looked after me really well in the spinal unit.”
That was 27 years ago and over the next few years Luke and his family struggled to cope with the severity of his disability, despite heart-warming support from the local community.
Luke’s situation changed 10 years ago when the Rugby League Benevolent Fund and the Steve Prescott Foundation became aware of his circumstances.
Established in the aftermath of Matt King suffering a similar injury to Luke’s, the RL Benevolent Fund commits to provide life-long support to any player who experiences life-changing trauma on the field of play.
“When we first came across Luke, he was living in the rear room of his family’s terraced house in Haydock which just wasn’t up to meeting his needs,” said Benevolent Fund general manager Steve Ball MBE.
“His only view of the outside world was one window looking out onto a dark garden and it’s fair to say his family were struggling.”
The two charities involved the Bryan family throughout a lengthy modification process on the bungalow which saw Luke use his computing and design skills to create a home that is light, airy and accessible for someone of his significant needs.
“Steve Prescott was brilliant, a really good man and he became a really good friend. I’ll never be able to thank him enough for all he did. It’s fair to say that without Steve Prescott and the Benevolent Fund I probably wouldn’t be here.”
Sadly, Steve Prescott lost his battle against a rare form of bowel cancer in 2013 before the bungalow was finished, but construction – together with fundraising by the Steve Prescott Foundation to pay for work – continued to allow Luke and his devoted mum, Christine, to move in in late 2016.
“It was cruel that Steve died before the house was finished, I would have loved him to be here because I know it would’ve put a smile on his face,” said Luke.
“Being here has really benefited me, not just physically but in terms of my mental health I couldn’t have dreamed of living somewhere like this without the support of the Rugby League Benevolent Fund and the Steve Prescott Foundation.
“They’ve not just provided me with a house, they’ve given me reasons to live as good a life as I can. I’ve had support for PTSD I went through after my injury.
“The hospital didn’t think I was going to make it after my accident but there’s not getting rid of me! I keep coming back!”
Because of the seriousness of his condition, Luke requires round-the-clock care, yet for all the adversity he continues to face, his positivity is a beacon of hope for everyone who meets him.
Ball added: “Luke’s life is tough, I’ve never meant a tougher guy in all the world than him and he’s a real inspiration.
“We include Luke as much as we can: the Steve Prescott Foundation ambassadors come to see him and other people visit on a regular basis.
“The Steve Prescott Foundation have done some amazing challenges to raise the funds we need, including climbing mountains, and Luke has faced mountain-sized obstacles of his own just to stay healthy.
“Every time he has an obstacle in front of him, Luke battles through it. We’ve feared for him on regular occasions but each time he’s fought on, and that’s testimony to his character and determination.
“The sport is extremely safe, but Luke’s situation shows that all players are just one tackle away from being where he is now.
“I’m proud just to be associated with Luke, his family and the people around him.”
Luke is not only a beneficiary of the RL Benevolent Fund he is also a great supporter of it and continues to involve himself in projects which raise funds for the charity.
“The Benevolent Fund is incredibly important, not just to me but to the lives of all the people it helps,” said Luke. “They’re there for any player who needs help, especially at the time in their lives when they most need it.
“I feel very lucky that they’ve helped me. I can’t imagine how my life would be without them.”
If you would like to support the work of the RL Benevolent Fund, please make a donation via the charity’s dedicated Justgiving page – www.justgiving.com/rfluk
First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 502 (November 2024)
Click here to subscribe to the print edition of Rugby League World
