‘Even if it’s just for a day’: Jockey Adrian Layt hopes Qld move prolongs 6yo son’s life
It is heartbreaking to listen to jockey Adrian Layt speak about the life-limiting genetic condition of his six-year-old son Liam, but the family says a move to sunny Queensland has so far been paying off.
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Many southerners move to Queensland for a sea change, but for jockey Adrian Layt the shift will have been worth gold if his six-year-old son Liam lives for just one more day.
Liam has the rare, incurable genetic disorder Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which is the progressive loss of muscle function.
The family, which includes Liam’s brothers Rocko and Charlie and Layt’s wife Carolina, headed north from Sydney in search of warmer weather in Townsville which they say is helping Liam’s condition and quality of life.
There are two Group 1 races at Eagle Farm on Saturday, but little Liam is involved in a Group 1 battle of his own.
Sadly, it is a battle which appears impossible to win.
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“I hope our move to Queensland prolongs Liam’s life, even if it’s just for a day. Because it will be a day more than we would have had with him,” Adrian said.
“Even if it just prolongs his mobility, it will have been worthwhile.
“We went down to Brisbane last week for some tests and the specialists said everything was going OK.
“The move to Townsville has been a good one and the specialists said to just keep doing whatever we are doing.
“At the moment, Liam’s body is not breaking down and he is growing up pretty much like a normal kid, for now.
“He is in Grade 1 at school and he’s doing OK.
“The life expectancy for this varies, it just depends how the heart handles it.
“Usually people due from heart failure from it, because the heart is a muscle and it slowly weakens over time.
“We have been told we are looking at (Liam living until) 25-30 years old, if he is lucky. It’s very hard to comprehend.”
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Adding to the complexity of the issues facing the Layt family is they don’t race as often in Townsville as in the areas of NSW where Layt was riding.
The jockey isn’t prepared to make long trips throughout regional Queensland to ride – he wants to be close to his family. But Layt, with more than 630 career winners to his name, knows he must earn money for his young family – especially knowing the battle which lies ahead with Liam.
It is one of the reasons Layt will soon temporarily relocate to Kembla Grange in NSW to ride for a month before rejoining his family in Townsville.
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Another reason is simply to give himself some headspace, as Layt wants to be the best father and husband he can.
He says he has had some bouts of depression in recent times.
“The quality of life here is fantastic for Liam but, for me, there is not enough work,” Layt, 50, says.
“When I am sitting around I get depressed and that’s what happened over Christmas.
“I ended up drinking a bit and got depressed, on top of running Liam to appointments here, there and everywhere.
“It’s been very straining on the whole family.
“My wife and I are both working and juggling the kids and Liam is on my mind, constantly.”
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Liam may only be six years old but he is wise beyond his years and understands his heartbreaking prognosis.
He can also see the wheelchair which has been sitting in the cupboard gathering dust for two years and knows that one day it will become his constant companion.
“Liam understands this condition is going to limit his life,” Layt said.
“He is pretty cluey for a six-year-old boy.
“He takes steroids to keep muscles strong, but everything has got a side effect.
“He gets ‘roid rages’, he gets cranky.
“He wears braces on his legs of a night, he absolutely hates them but they keep his feet straight up like he is standing.
“He is just unlucky because his brothers are fine.
“Liam just says he wasn’t cooked right. But you’ve got to play the hand you are dealt.”
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While it is a heartbreaking story to tell, Adrian is comfortable doing so as he wants to help others in a similar position and also encourage parents to get their young children checked at the first sign anything could potentially be amiss.
He says there were few initial signs that anything was wrong with Liam.
“Liam kept falling over all the time and we just thought he was clumsy,” Layt recalls.
“The doctor did a few tests to see if they could highlight anything and then they sent off his bloods and they went through all the genetics.
“When we found out, it was just terrible.
“When we got the report back from the doctors, I was on my way to Tuncurry and I had a big cry.
“My key message to others is that if you have got a little one who is slow to walk, or is forever clumsy, get them checked.
“They say the earlier you get onto it, the better things can be and that’s because then you can cater for them at an early age.”
Originally published as ‘Even if it’s just for a day’: Jockey Adrian Layt hopes Qld move prolongs 6yo son’s life
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