St Kevin’s Old Boys’ Michael Pisker reveals his road back from freak local footy injury

When St Kevin’s Old Boy Michael Pisker walked off the footy field following a freak and accidental collision in July, no one could have imagined the ordeal he was about to endure.

Michael Pisker’s life was altered by a freak footy injury. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Michael Pisker’s story is one that has touched Victoria’s footballing community, a dashing defender with St Kevin’s Old Boys before a freak and accidental collision in July left him in a 17-day induced coma in the Alfred Hospital.

The long-kicking 186cm and 90kg 26-year-old was in a world of “unknowns” in terms of his future, with the eye sight in his right eye lost and concerns about his cognitive abilities.

His right eye actually burst from its socket, with ruptures at the back and front of the eye, and while operating the surgeons tried various interventions to relieve the pressure in his skull. When unsuccessful, it led to parts of Pisker’s skull being removed and stored in a freezer at negative 80 to prevent any bacteria from growing. On September 26 his skull was successfully reinserted.

The incident led to an extraordinary outpouring of public support around the state, with a Go Fund Me page to date raising $332,458 (Pisker didn’t have private health insurance). He will remain eternally grateful for the support.

“I am so grateful for the generosity shown by our incredible community and sincerely thank everyone who donated to the Go Fund Me page. One of the themes of my recovery has been gratitude because if I was to dwell on it, it would be no good for me,” said Pisker.

Michael Pisker in action for St Kevin’s. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Jon Anderson: Take me back to that July 20 day at T.H.King Oval?

Michael Pisker: I remember nothing about the incident but I did walk off the ground. I was taken to the Alfred in an ambulance with my girlfriend Sasha (Witts) next to

me. I have this memory of waking up, with my mum Alexandra beside my bed. I had a thing called post-traumatic amnesia which is common with traumatic brain injuries, where you are awake but don’t remember. I knew I was in a hospital but my mum had to tell me I had been in a coma for 17 days.

JA: Your right eye was in trouble straight away?

MP: As soon as I arrived they operated on my eye because it had burst from the socket, with ruptures at the back and front of the eye. While they were doing that operation, they were able to put a monitor in my skull to check the pressure. They then tried various interventions to get the pressure down but none of that was working, so they had to take out parts of my skull to provide space for the blood and my brain to swell.

JA: Where did your skull go?

MP: Into a freezer at negative 80 to prevent any bacteria from growing. On September 26 my skull was put back in and that has gone well.

JA: Is it fair to say your recovery has been as good as it could have been?

MP: I count myself as very lucky. It started at SKOB with our club doctor Kim and head trainer/physio Maddy. When I came off the ground Kim knew not to lay me down because too much blood could have gone to my head which could have been disastrous. When I started shivering on the bench he was worried I could behaving seizures. I was lucky to be prioritised at the Alfred and be operated on by brilliant neurosurgeons, plus the nurses have been incredible.

Pisker had to have part of his skull removed to allow for the swelling on his brain.

JA: What can be forgotten in all of this is your opponent from University Blues.

MP: I sent him (Geordie) a message to say my recovery was going really well and to not blame himself. He got back to me and was appreciative of me reaching out.

JA: Did you lose much weight?

MP: I went from 91kg to 75kg, but I wouldn’t recommend it as a diet. I lost 15kg but have put six back on. I’m getting a prosthetic eye put in at the end of this month. Hopefully they will develop a bionic eye in the years to come.

JA: What about driving and working?

MP: Hopefully I can drive January next year. My peripheral vision is what trips me up. When walking in crowds I imagine someone is walking past but when I turn my head there is no-one there. I rely a lot more on hearing.

JA: How have you dealt with it mentally?

MP: One of the themes of my recovery has been gratitude because if I dwelled on it, it would be no good for me. And I saw people in hospital a lot worse off than me. Mentally, in hospital it was surprisingly manageable, just boredom was hardest. Now it can be more frustration, like not being able to hit a tennis ball properly. Or watching SKOB lose to Scotch in the Prelim final.

JA: Any strange dreams when you were in a coma?

MP: I had a dream that I flew to China to get specialist help. Then my dad Sean flew out from Ireland where he lives with my two sisters and stepmum, but I thought one of my sisters had also come and I kept thinking one of the nurses was my sister.

Pisker is making a slow by steady recovery. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

JA: And work?

MP: I’m sure I’ll find more challenges when I get back to work as a mortgage broker with ANZ. I’m meeting my boss this week to see how it looks, hopefully I can go back.

JA: What about some involvement in footy in the future?

MP: I have played 87 games with SKOB and love the game so will try to stay involved. I’m pretty addicted to footy.

JA: Did you ever consider punting in the US?

MP: Yes, and did a couple of months training but preferred to keep playing footy. In the VAFA Grand Final last year I did kick-in from just outside the goalsquare and it went over the centre.

JA: I should congratulate on your fine career with SKOB since 2017 Michael. Who are some of the best players you have seen?

MP: The best I played with would be Luke Winter, Bill Coates, Sam Critchley and Nick Singh. Then there was Mitch and Josh Wallis who were really good, plus Bill Kanakis who is so talented.

JA: And against?

MP: I never liked lining up on University Blues forwards, such as Sam Grimley. He was a lot taller than me (186cm to 199cm). The tactic I tried to use was take a bit of his body, like they do with Max King. I remember playing against Rohan Bewick (Old Xaverians) who was an absolute freak. Then there was Gus Borthwick from Old Melburnians who was a serious unit, someone you didn’t necessarily want running at you. And Harry Hill from Old Brighton is a very good player.

0X-rays of Pisker’s head injuries. Picture: Supplied

JA: Finally Michael, I know there are people you want to thank?

MP: I sincerely thank everyone who donated to the Go Fund Me Page. I am so grateful for the generosity shown by our incredible community that has assisted in reducing the stress I feel about returning to work and paying for any ongoing medical expenses. A big thank you to JP Whitbread who worked so hard for an ambulance to attend that two actually arrived.

JA: Others from SKOB?

MP: I will miss some but Michael Doble, Pete Murray, Sam Cameron, Tom Jok, Anthony Lynch, Paddy Mount, my housemates Dimitri and Laurence, Tony Witts and the SKOB Saints, to the legendary ICU Doctors, nurses, neurosurgery specialists at the Alfred as well as ABI unit in Caulfield hospital. And of course my mum Alexandra, sister Maria and my lovely girlfriend Sasha Witts. who has been amazing. Plus my father Sean who flew out from Ireland to share his strength with me and my family during the initial hard weeks.

Originally published as St Kevin’s Old Boys’ Michael Pisker reveals his road back from freak local footy injury