Taylor Gough: Former Leicester Tigers player on life after paralysis

Former Leicester player Taylor Gough was left paralysed after a car crash

"I remember waking up, not knowing where I was, and what had happened, and I couldn't speak. I had to mouth 'where am I?' to a nurse."

"She told me I was in hospital, I then said 'what happened?', and she said I was in a car accident, and then I asked if anyone else was involved, and she said no. I thought 'thank god'."

Ten days after a crash that had left him paralysed from the chest down, Leicester Tigers forward Taylor Gough woke up in a hospital bed in Nottingham, unable to move.

He was an incredibly talented young player, part of Leicester's famous academy, and having made one appearance already, he had an exciting career ahead.

But he lay motionless for nearly a month, in the middle of lockdown, meaning he could only see one person a week, for an hour at a time.

"There was just a constant beeping, and my vision was blurred because of the painkillers," Taylor said. "They were dark days".

"I slept a lot, and was up for just a few hours a day. That's how I got through."

• LISTEN: The Leicester Tigers Rugby Show podcast, with Taylor Gough and Matt Hampson

The 22-year-old back-rower suffered multiple injuries, on the weekend before the club was set to return to training after three months away because of the coronavirus pandemic. He had only signed his first senior contract in February 2020, just a few months before his accident.

He now had to deal with the fact that his life would be so remarkably different to what he had planned.

"I didn't really go through the process of dealing with that," Gough told BBC Radio Leicester.

Gough made his only appearance for Leicester Tigers in the Premiership Cup in 2020

"I thought 'oh, I'll get better, everyone gets better'. But then the reality hit, this is permanent, I'm not going to improve."

While Taylor recovered slowly, former Tigers forward Matt Hampson received a phone call telling him of a situation that was eerily reminiscent of the moment that changed his life 17 years ago.

A Tigers academy product himself, he became paralysed from the neck down in 2005 after a training accident in a scrum with England Under-21s. Since then, he has created a foundation in his name, and built the Get Busy Living Centre, providing rehabilitation and care for those with life-changing injuries.

"I remember where I was when I heard, I was absolutely gutted," Hampson said.

"It must have been so difficult, particularly dealing with the isolation of COVID. I cannot imagine how I would have been without my family and friends."

Taylor's family and the foundation sprung into action. When he self-discharged from hospital, he moved into a bungalow adapted especially for him, funded by donations from the public.

The Foundation offered help and support, and a place where Taylor could begin his rehabilitation and physiotherapy.

It has been a slow process, but he has regained strength in his upper body, and worked on his core strength and balance, which disappeared as a result of his paralysis.

"Physically, my progression has been pretty steady, as soon as I was able to get home and come to the centre, I have been on an upward trajectory," Taylor added.

"Mentally I have really struggled for a year-and a half.

Taylor has been working with the Matt Hampson Foundation to improve his quality of life

"Not being able to walk is the easiest part of being paralysed. It's the other stuff, bladder, bowels, sexual function, that makes it hard.

"I remember falling asleep on the sofa at midnight. The sofa was low, and I wasn't strong enough to get back in the chair.

"I had to ring my dad and my brother to pick me up off the sofa. I had never needed anything from them before, but now I had to rely on them.

"That's the hardest part, the resilience to keep going."

Having spoken to a counsellor, Taylor now says he is happy most of the time, despite some dark moments. He has started playing sport again, joining local wheelchair rugby and wheelchair basketball teams.

He has had to "start from scratch" playing wheelchair sports, but has found relief and enjoyment in playing sport again, and being part of a team.

The Get Busy Living Centre, he says, has been vital for his recovery.

Matt Hampson suffered paralysis in 2005

"The Foundation were there from the beginning, able to tell me that I was going to live a fulfilled life," he said.

"My progress is step-by-step, I set myself goals and try to reach them. Anything they can do to help you reach your goals, they will do.

"We're all in a similar boat, and we're just doing what everyone else would do in this situation. You just have to crack on".

Hampson added that "time is a great healer" and "it does get better".

"Life is what you make of it, you have to surround yourself with good people, Here, we just want to improve our lives and support each other," he said.