Sam Willoughby’s family hopeful BMX star will make full recovery from broken neck

IT’S an old family motto that Sam Willoughby’s brother, Matt, believes can help the Australian BMX star make a full recovery from a broken neck.

BMX champion Sam Willoughby is recovering from a broken neck. Picture: Tim Marsden

SAM Willoughby’s brother is hopeful the Adelaide BMX star can make a full recovery and be able to walk again after breaking his neck in a training crash.

Matt Willoughby returned to SA this week from San Diego where he and his family had been by Sam’s hospital bedside since the accident on September 10.

The two-time world champion fractured his C6 and C7 vertebrae in the crash, severely compressing his spinal cord and leaving him with no movement from the chest down.

After making a mercy dash to California with his parents, Colin and Sharon, Matt spent a week and a half with his brother trying to keep his spirits up by talking about everyday things such as football results.

#STRENGTHFOR91: world, BMX community in Sam’s corner

FIGHT: Olympian breaks neck in training crash

BMX: Lionhearted athletes on ‘kids bikes’

Sam Willoughby’s family are hopeful the BMX star will make a full recovery. Picture: Dylan Coker

“We’re feeling pretty hopeful and positive at the moment,” Matt said.

“It’s a massive shock and it’s hard to all take in at once.

“But we’re holding onto that Sam is a really mentally tough person and we know he’ll do everything in his power to make a full recovery.

“There’s a motto our grandpa lived by growing up and I know Sam’s lived by with his training and that’s an acronym WHAYSAI.

“It stands for ‘work hard and you shall achieve it’ and I’ve tried to reiterate that to Sam.

“He’ll hopefully work by that message again and achieve what he wants to at the end of it through the rehab process – he wants to be able to walk again.”

Sam Willoughby competing in Rio. Picture: Adam Head

Matt learnt of Sam’s accident after Sharon texted asking to “call her ASAP”.

But it was not until arriving at the hospital that Matt realised the extent of the London Olympic silver medallist’s injuries.

“It definitely wasn’t a nice sight and definitely wasn’t something you want to see your friends and loved ones have to go through,” he said.

“He was hooked up to quite a few machines ... but he was awake and obviously a little bit scared and nervous as to what was going to be happening.

“But he’s been so strong through it all.”

Matt said he was “as close as brothers could be” with US-based Sam given they live in separate countries.

Sam was best man at Matt’s wedding and has asked Matt to fill the same role when he marries fiancee Alise Post.

Matt, a former state BMX champion, also went to Rio to cheer on his brother at last month’s Olympics, where Sam finished sixth in the men’s final.

He said he would still be with his parents by Sam’s side if not for his wife Brittany being 30 weeks pregnant with their first child.

“It still feels a bit surreal at the moment but it’s obviously very real, it’s happening and we’ve just got to stay positive and be there to support him as best we can,” he said.

Originally published as Sam Willoughby’s family hopeful BMX star will make full recovery from broken neck