Former Cronulla Shark Nathan Stapleton was left a quadriplegic after a horror incident during a game of rugby back in 2022.
Despite being paralysed from the shoulders down, Stapleton is able to remain a major part of his children’s lives.
His fighting spirit was typified when he was able to be there for the birth of his second child, just two months after suffering the injury and still being in the ICU.
‘Its huge mate, the hospital was so accommodating, behind the scenes the amount of work they put in,’ he told Andy Raymond, on his Unfiltered podcast.
‘Because I was stable but I was stable-ish, so to witness it, I will never forget it, I still get to see this and support Kate.’
Stapleton admitted that he still has his good days and his bad days, but it is his positive mindset that has really helped him in the four years since that harrowing moment.
Nathan Stapleton went on the Unfiltered podcast with Andy Raymond to speak about how his positive outlook has helped him rebuild his life after a horror injury left him paralysed from the shoulders down
Stapleton was left in the ICU but was still able to attend the birth of his second child while receiving treatment
It has now been four years since he was left paralysed but he keeps battling every day, maintaining a positive outlook
‘Everyone has a choice in life – is your cup half empty or half full,’ he said.
‘I always try to find a positive in everything and it’s relationship building, that helps me massively day-to-day.
‘It’s a funny thing because there’s days that are bad and there are days that are good and there are so many things I missed out on.
‘But there is so much I can still do and you know and life is all about moments especially having two young boys theres so much they miss out physically but it’ amazing what my chair can do.’
Speaking of his chair, Stapleton has been using it to play with his two boys, finding a unique way to give them piggybacks despite being paralysed.
‘We are four years down the track the boys were very young when it happened so they haven’t seen it any differently,’ Stapleton said.
‘My oldest said the other day said “I wish you didn’t play that game because we could have piggybacks”, so I said just stand on the back of my chair and I will take you for a ride.’
But he confessed that a lot of his bad days come when he is around his two boys due to the fact he is unable to play with them properly.
‘A lot of my bad days comes with the boys like I am missing out on so much with them, especially with the support workers when they are wrestling and tumbling or teaching them to kick a ball,’ he added.
But he credited his mum with his positive outlook on his current situation. ‘I get a lot of that from my mum she was a very positive person.
‘I was lucky to have that guidance in my life, she was always trying to find the good in people, the good in things.
‘No one likes a “Debby Downer”. Sometimes in life things dont go your way but im all about opportunity, just because something bad happens you have the opportunity to make it good.’
Stapleton is heavily reliant on care in his day-to-day life, but he managed to find the good in that, saying it has taught him patience.
‘It’s just the resilience I think, all my day to day is explaining, if I want something done I have to explain step by step.
‘It has taught me a lot of patience, I was never a patient guy, just get it done, but it has taught me a lot of patience and thinking a lot about others.
‘Now I am a bit empathetic because I wonder if I am asking too much.’
