Rob O’Byrne: ‘I could have drowned. I’m lucky to be alive’
By Alannah Kenny
“I COULD have drowned – I’m lucky to be alive” said Rob O’Byrne, the Tallaght native who is organising a Colour Me Friday awareness day for spinal cord injuries on October 6.
In 2005 at the age of 17, O’Byrne was on holidays in Spain with his family when he broke his neck in a swimming accident that left him with a level C5/C6 spinal cord injury (SCI).
The experience was a wake-up call to the now 29-year-old fitness instructor who comments: “you can’t sit around and let it hold you back”.
Many will recognise O’Byrne from becoming an overnight viral hit after footage of him emerged online being lifted towards the stage at Coldplay’s recent gig in Croke Park on July 8.
“It was a spur of the moment, once-in-a-lifetime thing,” he says, recalling how members of the Cherry Orchard running club lifted him up to get a better view and he found himself drifting closer and closer to the stage.
Away from the spotlight, O’Byrne dedicates his time to running his own What’s Your Excuse For Gym in his Kingswood home which caters for people with spinal injuries.
He was inspired to set this up having been assigned exercises after major tendon surgery in 2014 to help rebuild strength in his arms and struggling to find a gym that suited his needs.
O’Byrne is now teaming up with Operation Transformation presenter Kathryn Thomas as ambassadors in promoting the #GoGreen event in October to raise money for the self-funding Spinal Injuries Ireland (SII) organisation.
Currently in Ireland, 76 per cent of people living with SCI are unemployed and 40 per cent live on or below the poverty line – Spinal Injuries Ireland helps to support these people.
The aim of this year’s #GoGreen event is to encourage people to wear green and spread awareness of the charity. Small fundraisers at work such as a coffee morning or cake sales in the community would be greatly appreciated, and those who are interested are encouraged to contact the charity directly to inform them of their plans.
Kathryn Thomas was immediately on board with the idea: “I have met people living with SCIs who have shown enormous courage and strength under what sometimes seems to be unsurmountable challenges”.
Fiona Bolger, CEO at Spinal Injuries Ireland, said: “We are delighted to be in our third year of Colour Me Friday and we are looking forward to getting everyone involved across the country with the campaign”.
Last year the organisation raised €20,000 and this year they hope to top that amount.
If you would like to donate on the day or any time throughout the year, text ‘CORD’ to 50300 to donate €4.00 or phone Kevin Dempsey at (01) 2355317 for details.
