Mackay coming out of coma

[lara93]

http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/n...261720666.html
Brumbies Super 14 rugby player Shawn Mackay is coming out of his coma and spinal surgery went well, a team spokesman said on Thursday.

The 26-year-old forward was hit by a car outside a Durban nightclub on Sunday morning.

"The team doctor has reported Shawn is coming out of the coma," team spokesman Nick Smith said in a statement.

"The surgery on his spine went as well as possible and his spine is now stable.

"He has responded to simple questions through blinking his eyes.

"It's still too early to expect much else at this stage and the ongoing process and any development is likely to be a slow process."

Mackay had been in a medically induced coma.

He suffered a cervical spinal fracture and dislocation, a fractured skull as well as a broken leg and multiple facial fractures and lacerations when he was hit by a car.

The incident occurred about 4.15am Durban time on Sunday when Mackay and a number of other Brumbies were leaving a nightclub, having wound down after their Super 14 loss to the Sharks on Saturday night.

Mackay's parents, John and Leonie, and girlfriend Trish flew to South Africa on Tuesday to be by his side.

[mudskipper]

Lets all hope for the best for Shawn....

[Burgs]

Shit of a way to wake up from a night out with the boys
I imagine it would all be pretty bewildering for him.

Great to hear it is all going so well but a long road ahead of him too.

[hertryk]

All our best wishes and prayers are with him, and his family..

[lara93]

Mackay emerges from coma
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...03/2534290.htm
Brumbies lock Shawn Mackay has emerged from a medically-induced coma showing signs of recognition and movement in his arms and legs.

Mackay had surgery yesterday to fuse two vertebrae after suffering neck, leg and head injuries when he was hit by an armed response vehicle in Durban on Sunday morning.

After coming out of the coma, Mackay has responded to questions and has shown movement in his toes and fingers.

But it was too early to determine any long-term damage, a Super 14 said in a statement.

"The team doctor has reported Shawn is coming out of the coma," the statement read.

"The surgery on his spine went as well as possible and his spine is now stable.

"It's still too early to expect much else at this stage and the ongoing process and any development is likely to be a slow process."

-ABC/Reuters

Speaking from South Africa this morning , Brumbies coach Andy Friend says the news has lifted spirits in his squad ahead of its clash with the Cheetahs on Sunday morning (Australian time).

"He was asked to try and move his toes and on his right leg apparently there was a minor bit of movement and a little bit of squeezing with his right hand, which again is really positive," he said.

"They're really small things at this point in time and the doctor kept stressing that to us and the team."

[mudskipper]

Thanks Lara for the up date, sounds very promising so far... get strong Shawn...

[lara93]

no problem, yeah i wish him all the best!

[Burgs]

Tell him his boys beat the Poms in Adelaide and I bet you get a reaction

[lara93]

my uncle has been looking after mackay at the durban hospital, and his rugby career is pretty much over
doctors have to fuse his neck, not put it in a halo

[Darren]

I thought I recognised the named!

[mudskipper]

A rugby game in the name of love

By James Hooper and Chris Wilson
April 05, 2009 12:00am

AT Warringah's Rat Park yesterday, Matt Mackay put on his green Randwick jersey and played a game of rugby for the brother he loves, write James Hooper and Chris Wilson

At 1.15pm at Warringah Oval yesterday, with his brother fighting for life in a South African hospital bed, Matt Mackay donned his beloved Randwick No7 jumper and ran out for the Galloping Greens.

Not because he felt he had to, because he could. In Durban, 10,540km away, his brother Shawn was in hospital with a fractured spine, skull and leg after a horrific accident.

For Shawn Mackay and the ACT Brumbies, what was supposed to be a night to celebrate Adam Ashley-Cooper's 25th birthday eight nights ago turned into a nightmare.

By the following morning, life as the Mackay family knew it had altered forever after Shawn was hit by a car leaving the Clapham Grand nightclub at 4.15am.

While parents John and Leonie and girlfriend Trish raced to St Augustine hospital in Durban last Tuesday, Matt Mackay, 20, stayed in Sydney.

Amid the sleepless nights, long-distance phone calls and bar shifts at the Bellevue Hotel in Paddington, Matt had two candles of hope.

The first was that Shawn would come out of his induced coma. The second was football training with Randwick colts and the thought of playing openside flanker against Warringah at Rat Park yesterday.

"I've been looking forward to it all week, actually. It's one thing I've had to look forward to,'' Mackay said. "It's pretty hard because there's not much I can do. But I didn't want to let the boys down, I just wanted to get in there and give it my best shot.

"The coach asked me if I didn't want to play and stuff, but I'd still be out there watching anyway. I just love playing footy. The only good news that I've heard so far is that Shawn was responding through blinking to simple questions and he had a bit of feeling in his foot and in his leg.

"Mum told me that. It was a bit of a relief and a big positive. Mum and Dad have been good, they've been really strong. It's a lot better that they are over there with him. None of us have had much sleep, I know I've been struggling. I've been training for footy and working to try to keep busy.

"It's all a bit of a shock. I'm happy we've got a bit of good news. It's a start for what's a long road ahead.''

Sydney's sporting community was rocked by news about Shawn Mackay, whose father played back row for the Sydney Roosters and Newtown in the late 1970s and '80s.

Shawn, who was captain of the Australian rugby sevens side, actually won a premiership with the Roosters' jersey flegg team in 2002. He had made his Super 14 debut as a substitute nine hours before the accident.

A large group of Brumbies players, including Stirling Mortlock, Mark Gerrard, Nic Henderson, George Smith, Josh Holmes, Salesi Ma'afu, Christian Lealiifano, Patrick Phibbs, Ben Hand, Gene Fairbanks, Huia Edmonds, Tyrone Smith, Francis Fainifo and Peter Kimlin had gone out to celebrate Cooper's birthday.

With the rest of his team-mates across the road from the Clapham Grand, sitting inside the team bus ready to venture back to their hotel, Mackay was one of the last players out of the club.

As he crossed the road, a car came speeding around the corner and hit him. Police continue to investigate whether negligent driving charges should be laid.

Sharks Super 14 player Jannie du Plessis is a doctor and it is understood he called an ambulance and was the first person to attend to Mackay. The tragic incident is the latest in a list of off-field issues for Australian rugby teams in South Africa.

Brumbies chief executive Andrew Fraser revealed officials were unaware the majority of the squad had gone out drinking on the night Mackay was injured.

Asked if Brumbies management were aware the players were partying, Fraser replied: "No. The issue of players being out late, we're disappointed that a group of players were out at 4am, it's unacceptable and the players have acknowledged it was unacceptable. As a playing group they will resolve that.

"I've spoken with the coaching group as well and they have said the players are leading that themselves and have acknowledge it was inappropriate to be out and not ideal preparation for their next game. I doubt you'll see that sort of behaviour again.

"They didn't breach any discipline code because there's not a curfew in place, all they did was disappoint that they were out that late.''

For the Randwick rugby club, the Mackay tragedy is the latest blow in a painful eight months. In August, fourth-grader Tom Carr-Boyd, 22, was killed in an avalanche on a skiing trip.

And on December 27, his team-mate and a father of five Adam Allcroft was killed in a biking accident. The Randwick club is organising a fundraising event for Allcroft's children, to be held at Souths Leagues Club on April 19. They are also praying for Mackay, a club junior since he was six.

"We're devastated,'' said Randwick president Ian North. "It's terrible for the families of these people and terrible for our club,'' he added.

Last Monday, 150 of Mackay's family and friends gathered at St Anthony's church in Clovelly for a Mass service. They prayed for hope. It was a touching ceremony attended by Mackay's Waverley College schoolmates and fellow rugby stars Morgan Turinui and Adam Freier.

The rest of the Australian rugby community will continue to pray for Shawn Mackay.

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegrap...006067,00.html