Kurt Drysdale suffered a spinal injury on June 7

Like Alex McKinnon he suffered a fracture of the C5 vertebrae

McKinnon visited Drysdale last Thursday

First time McKinnon had returned to intensive care unit

TWO Sunday’s ago Kurt Drysdale sat watching 60 Minutes with his mum Sonya beside him.

They watched together, a mum and her boy, and when Alex McKinnon spoke about the great emptiness in his heart and how, at one point in his recovery, he pleaded to his mum to die, tears came to their eyes.

“I know how he feels, Mum,” Kurt said.

And a mother’s heart breaks.

Kurt, 20, is in the same intensive care unit at Royal North Shore McKinnon occupied last year.

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media_camera Kurt Drysdale, 20, is dealing with a life-changing injury. Picture: Facebook

Like Alex, he ran on to a football field a healthy young man, strong and vibrant and with a future that was limitless.

Then, also like Alex, there was a tackle and a fracture of the C5 vertebrae, and several other fractures and none of it was good. Doctors operated, and here the cruelty of life intervened.

With an injury at the same vertebrae as Alex the initial prognosis was about the same, although recovery can go in a thousand different directions. Unfortunately for Kurt, it turned bad.

It just put things in perspective straight away.It was such a reality check,

Alex McKinnon

After coming out of his operation the swelling can go one of two ways. It can reduce or inflame, travelling up the spine.

Kurt’s swelling went all the way up to his C1, leaving him with feeling in his face and the ability to blink. He still has a tube in his throat so his voice comes as a soft whisper.

Later that night Alex, aware of Kurt’s injury, texted his manager George Mimis. He wanted to give $20,000 of his 60 Minutes fee to Kurt. Could he help him get in touch?

The following day Mimis emailed Alex the contact details for Sonya Drysdale and, late Monday afternoon, Alex called.

A lot was happening in his own life at the time. Reaction to the 60 Minutes interview was bitter and divided.

Too many people chose to be outraged over his comments towards Melbourne captain Cameron Smith at the expense of a bigger story and sound reason.

Yet over the phone all the stress faded away.

media_camera Alex McKinnon’s parents, Kate and Scott.

There were tears, Sonya telling Alex about Kurt’s injury and how he was such a good boy, such a good boy. Indeed, everybody that knows him will tell you the same.

Alex could hear a mum trying to justify why it should not happen to her son, and she is completely right because it should not happen to anyone, and under a tremendous stress himself Alex felt it all go.

A lot of people were calling me up about the Cam Smith thing but after seeing Kurt it was gone

Alex McKinnon

“It felt like I was talking to my mum when my injury first happened,” he says. He was telling Sonya the things he wished someone had told his own mum and in return he saw a mother’s reasons. All they want is their boys.

“It just put things in perspective straight away.”

All that other business went away.

“It was such a reality check, straight away,” Alex says.

“It made me think of my mum straight away. All you want is answers and when you’re in this situation you could see she was trying to seek answers off me.

“It hit home massive for me.”

The moment he left hospital Alex swore he would never again set foot in the Intensive Care Unit. Too many bad memories.

But listening to the pain in Sonya’s voice he believed his own mum Kate could help and he told Sonya they would be down Thursday, and so last Thursday he went back to hospital.

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media_camera Kurt Drysdale was an up-and-coming player for Cronulla. Pic: Facebook.

“I’ve never been so nervous,” he said.

Every injury is different, he told them. While he was trying to get back on his feet after his injury nearby Curtis Landers, took small steps just five weeks after fractured his C2 and C3 vertebrae.

Alex told Kurt every injury is different. They respond differently at different times and all he can concentrate on is today. Tomorrow could bring anything.

This weekend is Men of League Heritage round.

It has been tied in with last year’s Rise For Alex round after Alex thanked the NRL last year but told them he did not want his own fundraising round.

“It’s not the fans’ responsibility to look after me,” he says.

“It’s not their responsibility to keep putting their hands in their pocket. I’m so grateful for what they did last year for me but this is about helping others as well.”

So it is there for young men like Kurt Drysdale who, heaven knows, needs all the support we can give.

The cruel reality for such young men is how hard it is to raise money and how much harder it is to keep it.

McKinnon’s injury was more than a year ago. Landers was in the hospital next to him. Yet despite two well publicised injuries the NRL is yet to set up a system to fast-track financial support.

media_camera Alex with fiance Teigan on the day he left hospital.

These people need help now, not when somebody gets around to filing the paperwork.

The money that comes in now goes out so quick that, right now, people are helping cover the Drysdale’s costs while the paperwork for a trust is set up to better manage the financial help.

These are the small battles we never hear of that make all the difference. They remove stress.

As for Alex, he has found there is important and there is important.

“A lot of people were calling me up about the Cam Smith thing but after seeing Kurt it was gone,” he says. “I’d moved on.”

Alex and Smith have agreed to meet privately to clear the air and prevent the circus surrounding them getting worse.

“I want to keep it private,” Alex says, as does Smith.

Meantime, he continues to be a young man finding his way, beginning with Heritage Round this week, which he will share with all injured players.

“For me to move forward I can’t have people paying my way,” he says.

“How are you going to make money?” he is asked.

“I don’t know yet,” he says.

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