Several big-name sports veterans from New Zealand as well as Australia have recently for the first time ever begun speaking out about their own personal mental health battles.
Few testimonies have however managed to have a more enormous impact on sports fans and listeners in general than that of legendary All Blacks halfback Piri Weepu. Nine years on now from a 2011 practically dominated by a man many believed to be invincible – a national hero hailed nearly super-human – and Weepu has finally shared with his fans the details of a full-on mental health war, what it felt like to daily be tormented by “bad thoughts”, and finally, how the experience of having his speech reduced to a mere slur by a stroke in 2014 managed to cause him incredible physical as well as emotional harm.
What Weepu shared with a prominent news and actuality sports documentary channel on Tuesday evening seems world’s away from the unstoppable goal-kicking machine we all but worshipped during those intoxicating days of 2011. We were swayed in unison by Weepu’s points-scoring magic – a nation captivated as one by a truly heady time in the history of All Blacks rugby.
The All Blacks legend also spoke of how following a stroke he had initially been completely unaware of; his speech had begun slurring to the point of him sounding more like a baby than like a grown man. Though to his own mind Weepu says he had been speaking “as normal” all along, his friends immediately noticed a major change. The stroke would later on be traced to a blot clot in the brain.
Weepu’s, sadly, is no voice in the wilderness. An increasing number of top sports stars have recently started sharing about their own mental health journeys and struggles. Proof again that we’re all human – and can all learn a great deal from one another.
| # | Site | Bonus | Bet | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Betway |  | 5/5 | Up to $60 NZD | Bet now Review |
More About Trent Wilson
Trent Wilson is OnlineBetting.nz’s resident sports news expert. He draws on his extensive sporting knowledge, his qualification in sports management and his passion for betting to provide the latest, most up to date information on sporting events in New Zealand and across the globe. Trent is a veritable treasure trove of sports information and has been betting online for several years. He prides himself in keeping his readers informed, and in always offering an unbiased standpoint that reflects exactly what’s going on in the sports world.
View Posts - Visit WebsiteYou May Also Like:
Sports Writer Robin Herman Dies Aged 70
Gender barrier-defying NHL commentator Robin Herman has died. She was 70. Herman made history when she became one of only two female sports writers to enter a men’s pro-sports locker room in North America. She died at her home in Waltham, Massachusetts, on Tuesday. A feisty and passionate journalist, Herman ….
Alan Thompson Banned Over Sexual Harassment
Two-time Olympic champion and Kiwi canoe racing great Alan Thompson has been banned from the sport. The ban follows a long-running inquiry and investigation into allegations of historical sexual harassment. Allegations against Thompson first surfaced in October last year. The allegations alleged that Thompson had made untoward sexualised remarks toward ….
Broadcaster Gerald Sinstadt Dies
Sad news this week is the passing of one of the most recognisable voices in football commentating. Gerald Sinstadt, who worked as commentator for the BBC and ITV for over 40 years, has died. He was 91. Sinstadt had been a truly versatile sports broadcaster. He covered a variety of ….
Cannabis To Be Reviewed By WADA
Cannabis may have its day in WADA review court yet after the World Doping Agency this week confirmed plans for a scientific review to be launched sometime next year. Whether or not cannabis should remain on WADA’s list of banned substances will be reviewed by a special advisory group, the ….
No Tokyo For Javelin Thrower Tori Peeters
Despite having already qualified for the upcoming Tokyo Olympic Games, Kiwi javelin thrower Tori Peeters may have to sit out of this year’s Olympic run after all. Tori was last week named as part of the 15-person athletics team headed to Tokyo to represent New Zealand. The naming function was ….