Ten months ago Dom Punch packed his footy bag on grand final day.
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He’s only just getting home.
This week, after extended stints at two Sydney medical centres, the 28-year-old quadriplegic arrived back in the Hunter to reside at his parents place in Stockton.
“Home for good,” Mr Punch said.
“It’s a relief, it’s exciting and it’s a bit scary, but mostly relief to be home after such a long stay away.”
It was September 19 last year and it was a seemingly stock-standard day for Mr Punch.
He was a reserve hooker for Maitland in the second grade rugby union decider at No.2 Sportsground that afternoon and was rostered on to manage The George Tavern bar as usual that night.
But with the title out of reach he took the field as a replacement late in the piece and a collapsed scrum in the dying stages left him motionless on the ground and changed his life forever.
“It’s a little bit of a blur,” he said.
“I remember the scrum going down and being in the wrong position.
“But within a minute I knew, so pretty much straight away.
“I couldn’t move my legs, I couldn’t move much at all.
“I didn’t know the extent of it, but I felt and heard the click in my neck.”
Mr Punch fractured his C5 and C6 vertebrae and suffered serious damage to his spinal cord.
After emergency surgery at John Hunter Hospital he was air lifted to the state capital, where he has been ever since.
Starting out at Royal North Shore Hospital intensive care and followed by Ryde Royal Rehab before Christmas.
But after extensive physiotherapy Mr Punch has now begun the next phase of his journey.
And it kicked off Saturday with a welcome-home party of sorts at Marcellin Park, watching former teammates run around while his Blacks rugby club hosted a fundraising event for sports disability charity Hearts In Union.
“It was incredible,” he said.
“There was such an amazing community atmosphere about the place and it was good to be back in a familiar setting surrounded by people I knew.”
Meanwhile, Mr Punch has already started exploring his new surroundings down by Stockton Beach and near Newcastle Harbour along with trusted family dog Rosie.
Renovations continue at the house including access ramps at both entries.
He now owns his electric wheelchair and occasionally uses a manual one.
He has no movement from his chest down but has movement, restricted yet improved, in his arms and fingers.
