Kurt Drysdale: Former Rugby Player Dies at 31 After Battling Pneumonia for Two Weeks
The rugby league community is grieving the passing of Kurt Drysdale, more than a decade after a catastrophic spinal injury left him quadriplegic.
The former player is being honoured as a fighter whose courage and resilience inspired many throughout his journey.
Drysdale, 31, sustained a life-altering spinal injury in June 2015 while representing the Cabramatta Two Blues. After bravely battling pneumonia over the past fortnight, he has sadly passed away.
A sharp and skilful dummy half with strong ball-running ability, Drysdale was just 20 years old when a freak tackle during a Ron Massey Cup fixture resulted in quadriplegia.
Widely respected and admired, he built lasting friendships with several current and former NRL players, including Alex Johnston, Shaun Lane, Billy Magoulias and Valentine Holmes.
Following the tragic incident, a host of rugby league greats and personalities — among them Andrew Johns, Brad Fittler and Daryl “Big Marn” Brohman — visited him at Royal North Shore Hospital to offer encouragement and support as he began the long road to recovery and rehabilitation.
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The Cronulla Sharks and the wider Sutherland Shire community mobilised to support Drysdale, organising a “Unite For Kurt” charity walk to help fund his ongoing care.
A product of Endeavour Sports High School, Drysdale was a key contributor in the Sharks’ Matthews Cup and SG Ball squads before progressing to the club’s NYC team in 2014.
He is remembered fondly by his family — mother Sonya, father Steve, sister Skye and brother Blake — as a brave and deeply inspirational presence in their lives.
Source: Briefly News
