June 2007

Hayden storms home to Wagga

Come rain, hail or shine Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre patient Hayden Hore, 17, was going to see his beloved Melbourne Storm play at Olympic Park.

So, though the heavens opened, Hayden—who has quadriplegia—spent his second last night in Melbourne watching his favourite Rugby League team before returning to his hometown of Wagga Wagga.

Hayden was flown to the Austin Hospital in November last year with shattered C4, C5, C6 and C7 vertebrae in his neck after diving into a shallow part of the Murray River in Albury. 

He was later transferred to the Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre where he spent the last five months undergoing rehabilitation before his transfer to Wagga Base Hospital to be closer to his family.

Melbourne Storm decided to celebrate by giving him a final farewell.

Fullbacks Billy Slater and Steve Turner visited Hayden at the Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre and spent more than an hour talking with him before presenting him with a signed jersey, cap and and tickets to the Saturday nights clash with the Penrith Panthers.

Hayden described the match as ‘cool—I’ve never been to a live game before.’

What was even ‘cooler’ was being taken onto the ground after the Storm’s win to meet the players and cheerleaders.

‘It was mad!’ said Hayden.

‘But weird at the same time, seeing the crowd up high on the grandstands above me—I’m not anyone flash’.

While Hayden is excited about being home, he is keen to stay in contact with some of the patients at the Royal Talbot and, particularly, will miss the staff.

‘They’re all fantastic.

‘I wish I could take some of the nurses home to look after me in Wagga,’ Hayden said.