Watch: Vanderbijlpark teen plays guitar 10 days after breaking neck in rugby match
From a rugby field emergency to a music-filled recovery, Francois Kruger’s story is one of resilience and determination.
Barely 10 days after breaking his neck in a rugby match, 17-year-old Francois Kruger from Vanderbijlpark is on his feet and playing guitar.
On August 2, Francois broke his neck in a tackle during a third-team match for Hoërskool Transvalia against Hoërskool Nelspruit. According to Prof Adrian Kelly, the specialist who handled his emergency surgery, it’s a miracle that Francois is alive and walking after the freak accident.
Francois has recovered speedily. Initially, he had only 30% use of his right arm, but now he’s strumming his guitar as if nothing happened.
According to his parents, Carel and Liana, they won’t know the way forward for another six weeks. “He will undergo another MRI scan, after which the doctor will explain the path ahead. Next week, he’ll start sleeping in a soft neck brace,” Liana told Vaalweekblad.
