Foundation to benefit Masoe and other stricken stars

HAVING opened up about the true severity of his paralysis following the launch of a foundation in his name, former Hull KR prop Mose Masoe admits he feels “guilty” that his partner has now had to become his full-time carer.

The Samoa international, 31, suffered a career-ending and lifechanging spinal injury 14 months ago while playing for Rovers in a pre-season friendly. Masoe damaged two vertebrae in an innocuous tackle and it was feared he may be paralysed for life but within months he stunned doctors by taking a few unaided steps.

Nevertheless, the inspiring videos on social media of him making great progress have masked the real truth that has since emerged.

Father-of-three Masoe has been diagnosed tetraplegic, which means he has partial or total loss of use of all four limbs and torso, can still only walk a few steps unaided and has little use of his hands.

“The reality is that Carissa has become my full-time carer and, as a man and someone who has always wanted to look after my family, I have felt guilty at all the pressure that has fallen onto her shoulders by my injury,” he said.

“She has to look after the kids and look after me. She hasn’t got three kids now, she’s got four.

“I know I am facing potentially a lifetime of struggle. I’ll never be normal again. That’s just the truth. I can keep working on getting the legs going that bit more but I’ve got to accept I’ll be on medication all my life and the issues I have with my bladder and bowels could be lifelong.”

Carissa said: “We’ve always tried not to feel sorry for ourselves, and in the most we don’t, but there are times I look at Mose and feel sad. I’m sad for him when I look at him with Lui and he can’t scoop him up like he did the girls when they were babies. I wonder how he’s coping with that.”

The Mose Masoe Foundation has been launched to raise funds to help relieve the financial and mental hardship of players who suffer spinal injuries and the New Zealander will be the first beneficiary. A virtual ticket campaign, backed by Super League, will be held across all round two fixtures over the Easter Weekend when similar fund-raising efforts will take place in Australia, where Masoe’s former clubs Penrith Panthers take on Manly and Sydney Roosters play the New Zealand Warriors.

Details on how people can help can be found at www.mosemasoefoundation.co.uk