Jackson_1994
Kennel Enthusiast
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2018
- Messages
- 2,293
- Reaction score
- 7,204
The NRL refereeing community has been rocked by a life-threatening illness to one of their most popular on-field officials.
Darian Furner, a full-time touch judge, was about to officiate a game in the Pacific Championship in Papua New Guinea late last year when he collapsed.
He was rushed back to Australia by a medivac helicopter and after weeks of tests, he was diagnosed with a large brain tumour.
Furner, aged just 31 and a father of three kids under five, was operated on in Sydney earlier this week but it will be some time before surgeons know whether the procedure was a success.
It is a very stressful time as you can imagine - Darian was in a bad way the day after surgery and I guess that is to be expected," his wife Emma told Wide World of Sports.
"Because the tumour was actually attached to his brain stem, they couldn't remove it all.
"But they cut out as much as they could and it will be at least two months before we know how the future looks
There could be side effects but we are hopeful - his vision was affected by the tumour and he was often light-headed in recent weeks.
"It's been hard to see him like this… he was the strongest, fittest person I know… you just don't realise quickly things can change."
To make life even worse for the Furners, they are currently homeless after floods all but destroyed their house on the NSW central coast.
The water washed the foundations of the house away and we had to evacuate - we are currently living with my parents but that can't last forever," Emma said.
"It has been so stressful - we are living week to week and the bills are piling up.
"The referees have been great and donated some money but that won't last forever."
A family friend set up a GoFundMe page to help the luckless family out and the league world is rallying around them.
Darian Furner, a full-time touch judge, was about to officiate a game in the Pacific Championship in Papua New Guinea late last year when he collapsed.
He was rushed back to Australia by a medivac helicopter and after weeks of tests, he was diagnosed with a large brain tumour.
Furner, aged just 31 and a father of three kids under five, was operated on in Sydney earlier this week but it will be some time before surgeons know whether the procedure was a success.
It is a very stressful time as you can imagine - Darian was in a bad way the day after surgery and I guess that is to be expected," his wife Emma told Wide World of Sports.
"Because the tumour was actually attached to his brain stem, they couldn't remove it all.
"But they cut out as much as they could and it will be at least two months before we know how the future looks
There could be side effects but we are hopeful - his vision was affected by the tumour and he was often light-headed in recent weeks.
"It's been hard to see him like this… he was the strongest, fittest person I know… you just don't realise quickly things can change."
To make life even worse for the Furners, they are currently homeless after floods all but destroyed their house on the NSW central coast.
The water washed the foundations of the house away and we had to evacuate - we are currently living with my parents but that can't last forever," Emma said.
"It has been so stressful - we are living week to week and the bills are piling up.
"The referees have been great and donated some money but that won't last forever."
A family friend set up a GoFundMe page to help the luckless family out and the league world is rallying around them.