Nathan Buckley reveals girlfriend’s secret health battle

Football legend Nathan Buckley has opened up on the “pretty scary” health situation his girlfriend has been dealing with.

Nathan Buckley has opened up about girlfriend Brodie Ryan’s secret health battle with epilepsy.

The footy legend on Tuesday went public in sharing details about Ryan’s condition in the hope of raising public support for the Epilepsy Foundation’s ‘Walk for Epilepsy’ campaign.

Buckley has told reporters the Melbourne socialite only discovered that she has the neurological disorder as an adult.

Watch every game of every round this Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today >

The Collingwood cult hero and Ryan have been an item since 2022 after the 52-year-old’s relationship with cosmetic nurse Alex Pike ended earlier the same year.

Buckley in 2021 announced he and wife Tania Minnici had separated after 18 years together.

The Brownlow medallist on Tuesday shared new details about his new romance, including his support for Ryan as she continues to manage her “scary” epilepsy condition.

Brodie Ryan and Nathan Buckley pose on arrival ahead of the 2023 Brownlow Medal. Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

Brodie Ryan and Nathan Buckley at the grand final

“It’s not really my story to tell but my partner has had some seizures across the last three or four years,” Buckley said.

“She’s still in the process of working out exactly what that means for her and how she manages that.”

“It’s not something that creeps up on you. It hits hard and it hits quickly,” he said.

“She’s had one or two (seizures) over the last two and a half years in our relationship, and we’re in the process of working out what’s going on and getting to the bottom of it.

“As you can imagine, it’s pretty scary going from operating (fine) to effectively glitching, so she’s in the process of working out what is causing it and how it’s coming about.

“We sweep it under the carpet rather than getting in front of it. There’s a stigma with a lot of afflictions and epilepsy is one of them. Eventually she’ll understand it a bit better.”

The popular Fox Footy commentator said he knew little about epilepsy before meeting Ryan in 2022, but will now be joining forces with fellow footy greats Neil Balme and Brett Ratten to support ‘Walk for Epilepsy’.

Balme has epilepsy while Ratten’s daughter Tilly also manages the condition.

Ryan will be Buckley’s biggest supporter when the walking challenge — which simply involves walking 4kms a day for 25 days — begins.

Nathan Buckley has been supporting Brodie Ryan as she tries to understand more about her epilepsy.

Brett Ratten, Neil Balme and Nathan Buckley are taking part in ‘Walk for Epilepsy’.

“Brodes wouldn’t want anyone to feel sorry for her,’’ Buckley said, according to News Corp.

“These are real things and a lot more than most are dealing with.

“If you look at the one in 25 that are diagnosed with epilepsy in their lifetime, she’s the one. You’ve got three guys there, Ratts, Balmey and my partner as examples of three people in some shape or form who are affected by it and have it in their lives.

“There’s a lot of fear in it for Brodes and for anyone that it happens to because you can be operating at 100 per cent and then all of a sudden wake up looking at the ceiling and wondering what’s happened.”

Ryan told The Herald Sun she had been dealing with blackouts and seizures for the past eight years.

“They found a brain tumour/ growth in the centre of my brain in 2016 when I started having blackouts and seizures,’’ she said.

“I have regular scans every 1-2 years to monitor. I have a few of them a year. Been under the care of a neurosurgeon since 2016. The growth is benign — we are working out if my seizures are due to the pressure of the growth or possibly epilepsy.

“This is nothing new or scary for me as I have been dealing with it for eight years. It’s just life. I am fine and not stressed about it.”

Walk for Epilepsy is an annual initiative that takes place from 1-25 October. You can find out more at walkforepilepsy.org.au.

Originally published as Nathan Buckley reveals girlfriend’s secret health battle