Help Matt pay hospital bills Campaign

My name is Matt Bekker. You probably know me as a friend, a strength and conditioning coach, a powerlifting athlete and coach and a St. Mary’s rowing coach.

On the 26th of August I was engaging in an adventure abseiling activity as part of a fun weekend bachelor's party - celebrating my soon to be brother in Law. Despite my fear of heights, I was looking forward to having some fun with the experience and had full intentions of turning around if/when I became uncomfortable. 

Unfortunately, I never got to experience the abseiling. Climbing the side of a mountain in the Drakensburg to reach the abseiling site, I slipped from a narrow and barley defied pathway and fell approximately 12m down a cliff face. As I started to slip , my life flashed before my eyes and I knew I was about to experience a world of pain. 

Slipping off the cliff I fell about 7m straight down, colliding with a boulder which broke my ankle and changed my trajectory. I then fell another 4m, landing face down on another boulder. I was conscious and in a lot of shock, having access to upper limb movement but no control over any movement from my waist down. 

From this point on I endured a grueling 8 hour pain killer free wait on the mountainside before I could be taken to hospital. This involved waiting for paramedics, two helicopters that couldn't land, and eventually being carried down the mountainside by the bachelors party I was with.

On arrival at St Anne's Hospital in Pietermaritzberg, it was determined that I had  a complete compound fracture dislocation of my left ankle and fractures and contusion to my upper/mid spine. So I hadn't died, but was terrified I would be paralysed for life. 

As I write this, it has been 12 days since I arrived at St Anne's. I have undergone surgery and now have two plates and 17 screws in my ankle. My spinal injury has been treated through a combination of medicines and physio therapy. Doctor's have assured me I will walk again, and go on to make a full recovery. Still, I have not been able to move my legs more than a few centimeters with great effort.

Although I have had a few days to process everything that has happened to me, I am still hugely frightened by what could have happened to me and stressed and concerned about the coming months.

My doctors have discussed being completely out of action for the next 3 months, possibly looking at a whole year before I recover fully, and definitely spending more time in hospitals and rehabilitation than anybody thought.

This brings me to how you can help. While I am fortunate enough to be on a medical aid scheme, there are a few medical expenses the medical aid is not able to cover. This includes my rehabilitation program, physio therapy sessions and my prolonged stay in the high care unit at St Anne's.

Apart from medical expenses, my income for the next three months, and possibly beyond, will be severely impacted. Without being able to stand in a gym and coach, my ability to earn an income will be minimised.

I am so grateful so be where I am today. Alive. Assured that I will walk again. And surrounded by love and support beyond measure from family, friends, clients and colleagues. 

I have every intention to return to my passions of coaching and lifting. I know I have a long journey ahead but I am ready for this part of my life journey and this part of my fight.

Any contribution you are able to make to my cause would be greatly appreciated and would go a long way towards making my recovery easier.