Conor McGregor donates £25,000 to Irish MMA fighter and father of two-year-old daughter after he suffered a broken back and neck in training
- MMA fighter Ryan Curtis suffered life-changing injuries during training on Thursday
- Conor McGregor has donated £25,000 to a fundraiser dedicated to the athlete
- Curtis will need to stay in hospital for five months before working with a specialist spine team
Conor McGregor has donated £25,000 to an MMA fighter who suffered a broken back, broken neck and dislocated spine during training.
The former UFC champion is the top donor on a GoFundMe page for Ryan Curtis, who will spend another five months in hospital before working with a specialist spinal team.
Curtis, father of two-year-old daughter Kassia, suffered the most severe damage to his spinal cord during training on Thursday.
Irish MMA star Curtis has a 6-4 record but will not be able to fight again after his ‘life-changing’ incident.
Leah McCourt, a fellow MMA fighter, wrote on GoFundMe: “As an athlete and human being, the unimaginable has happened to our beloved Ryan. He was involved in a life-changing incident during training on Thursday, January 11.
Conor McGregor has donated £25,000 to an Irish MMA fighter who suffered life-changing injuries
Ryan Curtis suffered a broken neck, broken back and damaged spine and will not be able to fight again
“Ryan has a broken back, broken neck and dislocated spine. Trauma was also caused to Ryan’s spinal cord during this injury.
‘The damage is classified as the most serious that can happen to a spinal cord.
‘He was rushed to the Royal in Belfast and underwent emergency surgery.
‘Currently, Ryan has no movement in his legs or his left arm.
‘The road ahead is unknown and he will need to spend at least five months in hospital, followed by a further period with a specialist spinal team.
‘There is no exact end date when this treatment will be completed.’
The fundraiser has raised over £60,000 at the time of writing and the target is £100,000.
The Irish fighter, right, has a two-year-old daughter and shows a ‘positive outlook’ despite his situation
Nearly 1,000 donations have been made.
McCourt added: “He is in intensive care and will hopefully be moved to the spine unit when conditions improve.
“He continues to demonstrate his positive outlook, determination and mentality to overcome yet another challenge that life brings.
“In times like these, we thank God for the team of family and friends we have around Emma, Ryan and Kassia.
Leah McCourt said: ‘In times like these we thank God for the team of family and friends we have around Emma, Ryan and Kassia’
“The outpouring of love and support is a testament to who Ryan is as a person and how many people’s lives have been improved simply by knowing him.
“Ryan will never be able to do what he loves again, fighting or training in MMA. A sport to which he has devoted his life since he was eleven.’
‘Ryan will be out of work for the foreseeable future and we are looking to accommodate the additional burden or stress on Ryan’s family and daughter by creating a page to raise money for rehabilitation, vital treatment, recovery and support for his family.’
The GoFundMe link for those wishing to donate to Ryan can be found here.