Former NRL player Nathan Stapleton has left hospital

Nathan was left a quadriplegic after suffering a near fatal tackle while playing rugby union for the Boorowa Goldies in April last year at West Wyalong.

After the accident Nathan was told his recovery at Sydney's Prince of Wales Hospital would take around 12 months.

However, he is out of hospital after nine months and relishing the freedom of life with his wife Kate, sons Harry, aged two, and Angus, seven months, in the little unit they have rented near the hospital while he continues his recovery.

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"I'm glad to be back with the family, home with the boys, so I'm not missing the small things in life."

Nathan says, "health wise I'm now medically stable and fairly independent" and its time for the family to move to their home on small acreage at Young, where their house is being modified for the family to move in.

"The unit we have here is only small, so it will be good to go home and be back in the communities which have shown us so much support."

Nathan said he and wife Kate had chosen a small rural property near Young to call home, to give their sons the freedom of farm life while growing up.

In a strange twist of fate Nathan said the draw for the Goldies this year would see them playing their first game this season at West Wyalong - ironically this is a repeat of the draw for the game which saw him injured last year.

"I know the boys will be feeling the pinch when they go back to play this game," Nathan said.

"I just want to say to them mine was a freak accident, not something that happens all the time, and they should stay strong and play the game, even though I know it will be hard for them to go back."

Nathan's injury came during a tragic time for Central West Rugby Union, as Orange Emus player Andrew Regan also suffered a neck injury early in the 2022 season, leaving him an incomplete quadriplegic.

Nathan's life was saved at West Wyalong last year by nurse Louise McCabe - who was playing for the home town's women's side - and others who rushed to his aide.

"It was amazing because it was a whole team effort," Louise told ACM last year.

"There was a gentleman who's a stock and station agent, a gentleman who's in the air force and the ref, all assisted in the CPR, we cycled through.

"And people were giving mouth-to-mouth as well, which, now I know, from what's happened, is that oxygen really saved Nathan's brain. There was no brain damage which was unbelievable considering he was down for 16 minutes.

"He went into cardiac arrest so he was pulse-less for 16 minutes before we could get it back. So he needed that air in there to keep his brain and other organs doing what they should be doing."

When the Stapletons come to their new home in Young, Nathan will only require occasional visits to Young or Wagga hospitals for various treatments.

Nathan remains very optimistic for the future, "I can't let the injury define me, my boys need their dad and I need them."

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