Rugby gives Jack ‘new lease of life’
FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD Jack Powles was on his way to a GCSE exam when he was hit by a car and knocked off his bike. He was left with brain damage, blindness and a broken leg.
But after 14 years of what his dad, Carl, 54, described as “complete hell”, life has changed for the better – and it’s all down to rugby.
The launch of a new rugby club, the Port Talbot Panthers, has given Jack, who was regularly featuring for Bridgend and Wales’ youth rugby league side, the chance to play rugby – and it’s made a massive difference to the family’s lives.
It was in 2005 that Jack’s life changed forever. On the day of the accident, Jack had changed his morning routine to watch the first half of a Lions v New Zealand game.
“Ironically, it was his love for rugby that made him late for school on that day,” said Carl, from Grove Road, Bridgend.
After the collision, doctors rushed to save the keen rugby player and had to put him in a five-week coma.
When Jack came round, Carl knew his son’s life on and off the field had changed for ever: “He’d lost a lot of feeling in his left side, his sight had gone, he had broken his leg, and it took him months to learn to walk and talk again.
“One of the worst parts during his rehab was that he didn’t know who to trust – sometimes he didn’t trust that I was his father.”
But he said it was his son’s love for rugby that was “helping him get back on his feet”.
After waking from the coma, Jack has fought to recover as much as possible, both physically and mentally, and has regained much of his feeling on his left side.
Carl said: “The last 14 years have been complete hell. Our life was turned upside down. Jack was a good lad – a really ambitious and clever boy – but his blindness and brain damage has meant he has never managed to get a job.
“We all got ourselves into a bit of a rut and didn’t know where to go next. We just tried to get on with it day by day. Then we heard about the Panthers’ launch.”
After meeting with Darren Carew, a disability co-ordinator with the WRU, and Andrew Harrison, volunteer and organiser of the Panthers, Carl was relieved to have found some hope for Jack and his family.
“Andrew and Darren have so much energy and big hearts, I can’t thank them enough for what they’ve done for us.”
Besides thanking the club, Carl is desperate to make sure the Panthers thrive and leave a legacy for future generations of less able sports fans.
“It can’t just be a one-off – it’s far too good and is far too important. There are lots of good people behind this and I’m really confident about the future of the club.”
The next training session is at 4pm on Sunday at Aberavon Green Stars rugby club.