Teen star athlete left quadriplegic after jumping into the water from Half Moon Bay pier

WILL Murray was a star athlete. But everything changed last month when he did what thousands of other kids do each year: He jumped from a pier into the water.

Will Murray

​WILL Murray cannot walk or move.

But the star athlete, 14, has inspired a surge of public support since his life changed forever on January 17 this year.

Will seriously injured his spinal cord doing what so many other kids have done — jumping off a pier at Half Moon Bay.

Friends and family of the Sandringham teen​ager​, who was left quadriplegic after the accident, have​ been inspired by the love for their injured son.

They have launched a fundraising campaign to raise the huge costs needed for his lifelong rehabilitation and care.

He is recovering in the Royal Children’s Hospital from surgery to remove his C5 vertebrae, and has only limited feeling in his fingers.

It’s estimated a staggering $300,000 a year will be needed to fund around-the-clock home care (Will has three young siblings), extensive house modifications, a custom-made car and the top-level rehabilitation needed to maximise Will’s recovery.

Will isn’t eligible for TAC payments as he didn’t suffer a traffic-related injury.

Will won a footy best and fairest.

Mother Emma Murray said the family were desperate to get Will into cutting-edge therapy that focused on getting function below the injury site. “Where there’s sensation there’s still hope for movement,” Mrs Murray said.

But such rehab takes 3-5 hours a day, and costs $115 an hour, Mrs Murray said.

Supporters have established a trust fund, and the Facebook page Will Murray Updates has attracted more than 10,000 likes.

Sporting greats including Lenny Heyes, Dane Swan and Andrew Bogut and US Super Bowl players have all posted videos and messages of support.

A donation website, wheretheresawill.com.au, is now open, plus a second Facebook page for in-kind aid called Help Us Help the Murrays.

Dad Nick Murray said Will was an inspirational boy, who had represented Australia at the BMX World Championships in Adelaide aged just eight.

Playing for Sandringham East in the Southern Metropolitan Junior Football League, he was vice-captain in the under-12s state team, and last year won the league best and fairest. He was also a Sandringham Sabres rep basketballer.

Mrs Murray said the community support so far “was literally keeping me standing.”

“My greatest fear in Emergency that night was that this kid, so loved, social and part of the community, was going to lose that. I’ve been so humbled. Thank you.”

She said she and Nick, while shattered, were determined to help Will find hope and reach his potential in the years ahead. Will has three siblings; Tessa, 16, Meg, 8 and Gus, 5.

Will’s sporting talents include playing for Sandringham Sabres basketball team.

“I don’t want to sit there and say ‘He must walk’,” Mrs Murray said.

“But I have a sense that he’ll be OK, and he’ll change lives. He’ll use this tough experience to impact others.”

“I hope he finds a new normal.”

“He’s always been a go-getter, pushed himself, wanted to try new things,” Mr Murray said.

He said he felt immensely proud of his son and the community support he had won.

“It’s just him; he really enjoys being around people, younger and older. He connected with a lot of people.”

“He’s very compassionate; even though he was big and strong he was very caring and compassionate of other kids.”

Will himself, exhausted when the Leader spoke to him late yesterday afternoon, said he hadn’t yet given much thought to his long-term future. “(But) I’m keen to go home and get back to school,” he said. And sport is still very much on his radar. “I think about wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby.”

Will’s mate Finn Verberne has been sticking by his side since the accident. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Family friend Max Verberne, who is co-ordinating the huge fundraising movement, said he and many others were determined to make life easier for the Murrays.

“This sort of injury is very expensive. It’s a big long road ahead and they will need huge financial support,” Mr Verberne said.

He said the level of support from Bayside, the sporting community and further afield had been massive. “Will’s one of our own. It’s tragic and it can happen to anybody,” Mr Verbene said.

“We need families to rally around Will, Emma, Tess, Gus and Nick. We don’t want to focus on the tragedy, it’s about going forward.”