Nick Young  1962-2022

Pinner RFC – Tragic death of Nick Young -  May 1962 – September 2022

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Everyone associated with Pinner RFC over the past 43 year is totally shocked by the horrendous event which has led to the death at  60 of our respected member Nick Young.

 

Nick was paralysed from below the chest with limited hand movement as a result of a rugby

injury in October 198o when he was just 18. In early August there was a fire in his home from

which he was unable escape. He was airlifted to the Essex Burns Unit and spent nearly six

weeks in great pain and mental anguish undergoing several unsuccessful operations. The fire

had deprived him of his sight and most of the few faculties which he still had. In the end, with

his customary great courage he decided to remove all the support and passed away with his

sister and mother present.

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Nick joined Bill North’s Colts team in 1979 when a pupil at City of London and it was evident

that he would develop into an outstanding scrum half. He was a talented all round sports man

and a qualified sole glider pilot at the age of 18. In the autumn of 1980 he started a computer

science degree course at Hatfield Poly and being home for the week-end turned out at Pinner

for the 3rds against Slough. He broke from the back of a scrum, head down and ran into the

hip of a large forward, breaking and dislocating two vertebrae in his neck. He was taken to

Mount Vernon but two days later transferred to the Spinal Unit at Stoke Mandeville where he

remained for several months. A series of operations saved the use of his arms and gave

limited hand control but he was to remain paralyzed below the upper chest. When released

he joined the pioneering ‘Walk’ program at St Vincent’s Orthopaedic Hospital. With great

determination Nick returned to Hatfield to complete his degree and then take up a career

with NatWest.

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In those days the RFU insurers were not very helpful. We were required to prove that he was a paid-up member with copies of minutes etc but eventually received the paltry sum of £8000. The Club undertook a year of raising starting with a match against out President’s XV which contained many internationals including Bob Hiller, Andy Ripley, JPR and others. At the end we were able to provide Nick with a specially modified Ford Zephyr car. He later married and has a son and became involved in commercial ventures.

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In recent years Nick resumed his contact with Pinner RFC and was a welcome and regular attendee at the President’s Lunches and Awards Dinners. His parents gave a trophy, the Nick Young Cup to be presented each year to the young player who had contributed most in a general sense to the Club. He was also involved in the RFU’s Injured Players Initiative. With characteristic determination he has been a regular supporter of England internationals both home and away and already ordered his tickets for the England games in France for the 2023 World Cup.

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Nick was a man of great physical and mental courage and who refused to let his early injury prevent him from making the most of his life. What an example, he will be deeply missed especially by those who played with him in the Colt so long ago. He did not deserve to end his life in such an horrendous way.

 

Dave Hiles. Honorary Life President Pinner RFC