Former Sydney Roosters and Penrith prop Mose Masoe's quest to walk again has continued to gather pace with vacuuming the house now part of his daily routine.
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The 31-year-old's career was ended when he damaged two vertebrae while making a routine tackle during a trial match for Hull KR and was told he was likely to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.
Masoe spent the next two month in a specialist spinal unit at hospital in Wakefield, Yorkshire, but due to the coronavirus outbreak had to return home to continue his recovery.
Last week saw the giant Samoan international take his first unaided steps since that fateful afternoon when he walked to his kitchen in what was the latest landmark on his road to recovery.
Speaking to Britain's Daily Mirror newspaper, Masoe said the feeling he experienced when he walked was akin to winning the Super League grand final with St Helens in 2014.
"It was something that sounded impossible 16 weeks ago," Masoe said.
"If you'd said to me then I'd be walking again now, I never would have thought it would come this quickly."
Masoe's wife is due to give birth to the couple's third child in July and he's started to undertake some basic, daily chores to compensate for the physiotherapy he has not been able to receive.
This has even extended to knocking back an offer to install a second stair lift in his house.
"When the Rugby League Benevolent Fund came to put in a stairlift they asked if I wanted one to the top floor and I said no," he said.
"I got up on my bottom using my triceps, then I could crawl up and this week I walked up for the first time with crutches.
"My missus has me vacuuming the house now and I'm using everyday jobs as my rehab so when I get to specialist facilities again I can do more than now.
"In our careers we're used to setbacks with knee reconstructions, shoulders and broken bones.
"We know there's a time limit for things to heal, and that when you're doing little things every day, you might not see the benefit at first but you need to keep chipping away.
"You might not see the progress in a couple of days or weeks but all those little things add up to helping you in the long term."
Australian Associated Press
