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'I'm going to walk out of here': Chatley's inspirational recovery after freak WAFL injury

The young WA footballer completely paralysed for weeks after a freak injury in a WAFL match has walked back onto the ground for the first time.

Medical staff feared East Perth’s Beau Chatley would be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life after a bone from his dislocated neck partly severed his spinal cord in a tackle in July last year.

But the tough kid from country Manjimup never gave up, and has proved the medical world wrong.

Inspirational footballer Beau Chatley. Picture: 7 News
Inspirational footballer Beau Chatley. Picture: 7 News

“The first day in hospital, I told everyone 'I’m going to walk out of here',” Chatley told 7 News.

“I just never accepted the fact it was a possibility.”

Chatley said he remembers the sickening crunch that saw his West Perth opponent suspended for 10 matches.

Moments before Chatley landed awkwardly in a WAFL tackle. Picture: 7 News
Moments before Chatley landed awkwardly in a WAFL tackle. Picture: 7 News

“Straight away, I lost all feeling down below my neck,” Chatley recalls.

“It felt like my legs were in the air and I was asking all the boys to put my legs down but they were flat on the ground.”

Chatley was carried from the field. Picture: 7 News
Chatley was carried from the field. Picture: 7 News

Chatley’s injuries were so severe, he was placed in intensive care on life support for 10 days after the tackle.

He was completely paralysed for seven weeks, but after five long painful months at Fiona Stanley Hospital, the 22-year-old walked out with his family to go home for Christmas.

“I don’t think I could ever have achieved what he’s achieved,” Beau’s dad Brett Chatley said.

Chatley was determined to walk from hospital. Picture: 7 News
Chatley was determined to walk from hospital. Picture: 7 News

“It was pretty hard, a lot of nights I’d cry,” Chatley said, as the tears rolled down his face.

“It’s a bit hard to think about, but it is what it is.”

Chatley still has only limited use of his left side, along with spasms and neck pain, but his girlfriend Lizzie Maxfield says she is so proud of how far he has come.

Chatley embraces girlfriend Lizzie Maxfield. Picture: 7 News
Chatley embraces girlfriend Lizzie Maxfield. Picture: 7 News

“I don’t think anyone could have done it like he did, with the grace that he did it with as well,” she said.

The former carpenter says his next goal is to help out at East Perth Football Club, and dreams of running again.

Chatley plans to help out at his former football club and dreams of running again. Picture: 7 News
Chatley plans to help out at his former football club and dreams of running again. Picture: 7 News

But he still has years of hard and expensive rehabilitation to even walk properly.

“I think if you put your mind to it, your mind’s a very strong thing,” Chatley said.

To help with Beau Chatley’s ongoing medical costs, CLICK HERE