Young footballer paralysed after horror Australia Day beach accident

A young footballer has been left paralysed after breaking his neck during a horror accident on Australia Day.

Braden Scott, 25, was camping with a group of friends at Valla Beach, on the NSW mid north coast, to celebrate the public holiday last month when he jumped off a bridge into shallow water and hit a sandbar.

He broke all seven vertebrae in his neck and had to be airlifted to hospital in a medically induced coma.

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Three weeks later, Scott remains on a ventilator in Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, having undergone surgery to insert plates and rods into his neck.

He is unable to walk, but he can move his right arm and his sense of touch has begun to improve on some of his limbs.

While he has awoken and shown some signs of recovery, doctors are yet to determine the full extent of the permanent damage he has suffered.

His mother Alayna Scott has launched a GoFundMe to help the family financially as they grapple with his recovery.

“Braden is likely to be up in Queensland for three to six months before he is transferred south. We really need your help to reduce the stress of accommodation and travel expenses,” she said.

“He has done permanent damage to his spine but due to swelling [the] extent [is] unknown yet.

“Long term will mean we will need to accommodate his disability needs in the home (we will need to move to a single storey) and vehicle etc.

“Anyone who knows Braden would know he’s not going to like me asking for help but we genuinely need our community’s support at this time.”

Locals of Port Macquarie – where Scott is an auto smash repairman and member of the Junior Sharks Rugby League Club – have rallied to support his family.

“One of our Sharkies families has hit some tough times,” the football club wrote online.

“Every little bit helps so any donations big or small will be greatly appreciated and vital to keep this hard working long time Sharky family going over the coming months.”