Connor Hughes

February 2015

Connor’s rugby career started in Earlston with the Blue Eagles and carried through to Merchiston Castle School (Connor was there on an academic scholarship) where he thrived in the male and very much rugby focussed environment. He was their youngest ever player on the Rugby First XV and did well throughout Merchiston, achieving good exam results and other extra-curricular accomplishments, earning a place at Stirling University to study Sports Science. Connor subsequently changed to Accounts and Business after deciding he wanted to make enough money to set up and run his own gym and fitness centre promoting his own personal brand of dedication, exercise and overall wellbeing.

Before taking up his place at University, Connor went off for seven months travel; he explored New Zealand and Hong Kong and squeezed in bungee jumping and the Hong Kong 7s, back in time for the birth of his niece, Ava Grace.

On the 13th September 2014, in his first rugby game of the season, Connor sustained an injury to his C5 and C6 vertebrae which damaged his spinal cord. This was a life changing event, leaving Connor quadriplegic with no sensation from his shoulders down.

After the initial treatment on the field at the rugby game and also at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, Connor was transferred by Police escorted ambulance to the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Unit at the Southern General Hospital, Glasgow. He underwent intensive reconstructive surgery on his cervical vertebrae and started the long rehabilitation process.

Following a series of fundraising events and donations, including £3,000 from The Voyagers, Connor attended the Project Walk facility in San Diego during January and February 2015 and started his intense exercise recovery training programme. For further information and to keep up to date see http://www.connorsjourney.com/about/