New challenge for champion sports couple Richard and Carissa Tombs
SPORTS champions Richard and Carissa Tombs have navigated their way through some of the most testing times imaginable over the past 12 months- and now they face a new hurdle.
Manly
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NORTHERN beaches sporting champions Richard and Carissa Tombs have maintained a “wheelie” strong relationship as they navigated their way through some of the most testing times imaginable over the past 12 months.
Former Wallaby centre Richard suffered a severe spinal injury playing goalie in an over-35 soccer game at Belrose in August last year.
Through all that Carissa, a member of three Netball World Cup title-winning sides in the 1990s who was subsequently inducted into Netball Australia’s Hall of Fame in 2010, has been a tower of strength.
And not just to Richard, but their three daughters Latika, Talani and Ukiesha.
Now they face another challenge with the former Australian netball star also spending time in a wheelchair after undergoing part one of her third knee reconstruction.
“It is actually difficult, I don’t think I thought it through too well.” Carissa said.
“We are relying on the children a lot, they have been fantastic and really stepped up so there are no complaints there.
“But it does become tricky especially when you want a cup of tea moved from one end of the apartment to the other.”
And the inspirational “dynamic duo” have maintained the same resilience and positive outlook they had since Richard’s accident.
“From day one Richard’s attitude has been ‘it is what it is’ and we fed off that as a family,” Carissa said.
“We figured if he is OK and he is soldiering on then we have no right to react in any other way.
“It’s onwards and upwards and there is always someone worse off, isn’t there?
“You put it in perspective, it’s not an ideal situation but life goes on.”
And she saw the surgeon a few days ago who was really happy with her progression.
Richard said he was continuing to improve in small increments.
“People who haven’t seen me for a while notice the change, whereas I don’t notice them,” he said.
“It’s five steps forward and three steps back, that’s how it is,” he said.
The big challenge is the spasticity that he is now suffering as a by-product of his spinal injury.
“It is ever present and I just have to keep exercising myself to keep the muscles going” Richard said.
After catching up with the Manly Daily he headed off for a challenging rehab session with Newport Master Trainer Andrew “Junior” Stevens who has been working with him tirelessly.