The wider ACT and NSW community is rallying to help former Australian National University student and young dad Andrew Regan who broke his neck while playing rugby union in Orange last month.
Andrew is married to Jessie Davies, a former producer at The Canberra Times, and the couple have a one-year-old son, Gus.
A Go Fund Me appeal to help the young family as Andrew faces a long rehabilitation has reached more than $250,000 in two days.
Andrew - better known as Drewy or Reegs - was playing for the Orange Emus when the accident happened on April 23.
Now at the Royal North Shore Hospital, Andrew sustained significant damage to his C4 and C5 vertebrae.
The injury has left Andrew an incomplete quadriplegic, paralysed from the chest down.
While Andrew currently has "very limited arm movement, it remains too early for doctors to confidently predict a long-term outcome".
A talented athlete who competed in ultra-marathons, Andrew, 35, played rugby for ANU at the uni games more than a decade ago and made the All Australian team with future Wallaby Nick Phipps.
He has been moved by the reaction of the community and has spoken, through his family and supporters, of the affect it has had on him.
"The messages of love and support are all getting through and having a real impact," Andrew said.
'While we are effectively a single-income household for now, we are incredibly rich in support.
"I love my wife and my baby and my family and friends and I will get out of this and life will look very different for me but still be very full."
Those who know Andrew say he has a can-do attitude, but his road to recovery will be "long, difficult and expensive". The GoFundMe "Rally for Reegs" campaign is to lessen the load.
"Any funds raised from this campaign will go directly to Andrew and Jessie to help meet their needs and living expenses moving forward, including rehabilitation, relocation costs, and the needs of their son Gus."
To donate, go to the page here
