Wayne was all work, rugby and family - not necessarily in that order. He was 31 and the year was 1996. He had a handful of businesses, two young sons and played for Taranaki’s Coastal Rugby Club at every opportunity, until the day he collided, bent over, with an opposition player. Wayne heard an almighty crack and knew then he was buggered. An optimist, he never dwells on the struggle, striving to achieve something positive every day.  

He spent 4 months recovering in Burwood Hospital, adjusting to life in a wheelchair with the use of one arm. Until then, he’d never left the North Island and crossing Cook Strait was evidently enough to give him the travel bug. He sold his businesses and took the family on trips overseas, chasing the sun. Back home in his tight-knit community, he seeks to be a force for good, reading to children at the local primary school and lobbying council for improvements. He delights in seeing growth and manages a native planting project to restore the riverside near his house. Wayne keeps active as much as he can, believing his physical health is the key to staying strong mentally. He’s a big Speedway supporter and loves exploring the bush and coastal tracks.  

Wayne says the Rugby Foundation has been like a safety net for his family, helping with their sons’ education and orthodontics, and contributing to equipment for his home gym. With the foundation’s heartfelt care, they know they are never alone. 

Article added: Tuesday 08 August 2023