A FORMER rugby league player who was left in a coma for more than 10 months was able to spend time at home with his family for the first time since the incident - although he is still unable to walk or talk.
Scott Bessant was found with life-changing injuries on Pentwyn Lane, Abersychan, by a passer-by in the early hours of the morning on Sunday, August 13, 2017, after he had spent the previous evening drinking in the Little Crown pub.
The father-of-two had multiple fractures to his skull, a fractured neck, 12 fractures to his back, a fractured pelvis, a bleed on the brain, a broken collarbone and broken ribs and damage to the diaphragm.
The ex-Welsh Dragonhearts full back had been in a coma until February 2018.
Brother-in-law Neil Chere said that although there had not been any significant improvement in Mr Bessant’s condition, he was able to spend Christmas Day at home with his family.
“We managed to bring him home for a couple of hours on Christmas Day,” he said.
“That was a massive thing for us.
Scott Bessant was left in a coma for 10 months. Picture: Naomi Bessant.
“A massive thank you goes out as we had two ambulance drivers give up their Christmas Day to drive Scott home and back.
“It meant so much to us.”
Mr Bessant had undergone rehabilitation at Rookwood Hospital, but has now left the hospital and moved to a care facility.
Mr Chere said: “He is still unable to walk or talk.
“Sometimes you will be with him and think that he recognises you.
“He is now in a care home environment rather than a hospital environment.
“Everyday, we still hope that we will find out what happened to him and hope that he will recover.”
It is still unknown what happened to former rugby player Scott Bessant. Picture: Naomi Bessant.
Last year, Mr Bessant’s family and friends launched a JustGiving page and completed the South Wales Three Peaks Trial to raise money for a specialist vehicle for him.
They hope that having the vehicle could aid his recovery and allow him to see new surroundings.
Mr Chere said that the fundraising had been successful and the family were now in the process of looking for a vehicle that would allow them to wheel the 6ft 4in father-of-two into it from the back.
He said: “We are now at the point where we believe that we have raised enough for a specialist vehicle.
“We are now in the process of looking for that.
“Where we are more focused at the moment is looking at the adaption of his house.
“We will be looking to continue fundraising later this year.”
It is still unknown what happened to Mr Bessant.
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