The Daily Telegraph - Saturday
Rugby hero Tindall and SAS’s Ryan fix it for dying sailor
WHEN author and former SAS Sgt Chris Ryan heard about a dying Navy veteran’s wish to see England play rugby one last time he turned to the sport’s army of fans for help.
The writer had learnt that Able Seaman Tobias Avery Brann, who suffers from a rare incurable cancer, was desperate to go to Twickenham to watch his heroes play.
The 24-year-old was recently diagnosed with stage 4 Adrenocortical Carcinoma. The condition was initially missed by doctors and by the time they realised it had spread to his liver and diaphragm, leaving him with around a year to live.
Following an appeal on social media by Sgt Ryan, Mr Brann and his father have received several offers of tickets to watch England at Twickenham. Among those who stepped forward were rugby legends Will Carling and Mike Tindall. Mr Brann and his father will now be guests of the Royal Navy Rugby Union to watch England v Wales on Feb 10.
Sgt Ryan said: “All that he wanted to do was watch England play with his father... he’s a very unassuming chap, he’s very intelligent, he’s accepted his fate. There is no self pitying, he’s more concerned about his family and that was humbling to me.”
Mr Brann, who was medically discharged after five year’s service, underwent surgery on Sept 25 last year and was in theatre for seven hours. Surgeons managed to remove the tumour but also had to remove one of his kidneys, his adrenal gland, his spleen, and part of his diaphragm. The metastasis on his liver and lungs remained.
Sgt Ryan said: “Toby isn’t bothered about himself, he is actually more worried about his family and how they are coping and he kept saying: ‘I am really pleased that it is me this has happened to and not one of my family’.”