One tackle shattered this promising young life

[bones]

GEOFF CHAMBERS THE DAILY TELEGRAPH MAY 29, 2014 8:56AM


NED Landers sits on the edge of the hospital bed, rubbing his son’s feet and holding back tears as Curtis communicates by blinking an eye.

The 15-year-old Forster junior rugby league star is locked in the fight of his life at Royal North Shore hospital after breaking two vertebrae in his neck.

It happened on Saturday as Curtis dove in for a regulation tackle playing for the Forster-Tuncurry Hawks against the Port City Breakers.

The next moments are a blur for the Landers family.

Curtis was flown by helicopter from Port Macquarie to Sydney and sent straight into emergency surgery to assess the fractures to his C2 and C3 vertebrae.

Luckily his spinal cord was not severed, giving the diehard Bulldogs fan a chance to begin his fightback.

*********************
- this is tragic. That poor kid.

 

[HappilyManly]

Well he has one of the most positive people, Alex, in the same hospital

 

[bones]

"The Curtis Landers Appeal - How To Help"

Forster Tuncurry Junior Rugby League Club and The Gloucester Magpies has formed a committee to plan, organise and facilitate fund-raising activities for Curtis in the coming months. All money raised will go directly to Curtis Landers and his family to provide financial assistance on their road to recover back to good health again for Curtis.

We are seeking support and gift items which will be auctioned in the forth coming months. We are also seeking monetary donations to assist which can be deposited into the following account.

Account Name; "Forster Tuncurry Junior Rugby League"
BSB; 012-626
Account No; 213700588
Reference; (Please use your surname or nominate "anonymous")

All gift items can be dropped off at First National Real Estate - 25 Manning St, Tuncurry NSW 2428 ( staff will provide a receipt to all items and then will store items in a secure location)

For any further information in relation to the Curtis Landers Appeal, enquiries can be directed to the following Co-ordinators;

Donations & gifts/auction items.- Aaron Temple 0412 490 159 ([email protected])
Media - Warren Blissett 0400 819 367 ([email protected])
General enquiries - Peter Gardner 0421 207 788 ([email protected])

Forster Tuncurry Junior Rugby League Club and The Gloucester Magpies would like to thank everyone for their support.

 

[Chip and Chase]

Poor kid, hope it works out OK for him. Didn't a young player die in a match up there a year or so ago as well.

 

[RiverEagle]

Poor kid, hope it works out OK for him. Didn't a young player die in a match up there a year or so ago as well.

Yeah, that was the poor kid, about the same age that died attempting a tackle. Also the nephew or grandson of Tommy Raudonikis.

Thanks for this story @bones Terrible as it is.

I'll see what I can do later today.

EDIT: With a donation I obviously meant.

And done.

 

[globaleagle]

CURTIS Landers – the junior rugby league star who broke his neck in a regulation tackle – is eating ice cream and talking, breathing and swallowing on his own as he continues his road to recovery.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/broken-neck-injured-junior-rugby-league-star-curtis-landers-is-eating-ice-cream-talking-and-swallowing-on-is-own/story-fnii5s3y-1226941335366

 

[RiverEagle]

What a terrible accident, for anyone of course (including Alex Mac), but especially for a kid.

I'm sure having the support of Alex there would help...probably each other too.

And the rugby league community rallying around as always is great to see.

 

[Stevo]

A junior Hawk

 

[HappilyManly]

Today's paper (DT?) has Alex and Curtis catching up at RNS

Alex had a mobile in front of him, so must be getting the dexterity back

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/injured-junior-league-star-curtis-landers-has-slight-movement-in-his-legs-and-meets-newcastle-knight-alex-mckinnon/story-fni3gf5j-1226942020567

 

[Stevo]

Or Sedgyfergo on snapchat is his motivtion

 

[ALinda]

Today's paper (DT?) has Alex and Curtis catching up at RNS

Alex had a mobile in front of him, so must be getting the dexterity back

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/injured-junior-league-star-curtis-landers-has-slight-movement-in-his-legs-and-meets-newcastle-knight-alex-mckinnon/story-fni3gf5j-1226942020567

Nice feel-good story/photo for the day. Thanks HM