Stuart Mangan:STUART MANGAN, who has died aged 26, was in April of last year paralysed from the neck down as a result of a spinal injury he sustained while playing rugby.
A native of Fermoy, Co Cork, he was in his first season with Hammersmith and Fulham RFC, playing outhalf. On the day of the accident, his third vertebrae went over his fourth and he immediately lost all movement and breathing.
A teammate kept him alive with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation until paramedics arrived. He was taken to Charing Cross Hospital, London, and later transferred to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore for specialist spinal injury treatment.
Fermoy parish priest Fr Aquin Casey said Stuart would be fondly remembered by locals as a person who “made the most of his life”.
The former Irish and Munster captain Mick Galwey said: “Stuart made a huge impression on me and on a lot of other people.
“He was a very positive young man; his name will not be forgotten.”
The son of Brian Mangan and his wife Una (née Harper), he attended St Colman’s College, Fermoy, and Rockwell College before studying international law at University College Cork. He completed a master’s in business at the École Supérieure de Commerce, Paris. He secured a job in July 2007 with Banque Nationale de Paris in London, and found an apartment near his brothers John and Barry. He enjoyed skiing, cycling and golf. Travel was another interest and he spoke five languages.
On leaving hospital, he moved into a modified flat in Bayswater, west London where, with the assistance of his parents and 24-hour carers, he began to rebuild his life. A special trust was set up and thousands of euro were raised to contribute to his care. Earlier this year, a CD Together We Stand featuring Gemma Hayes, Cara O’Sullivan and John Spillane was issued to help raise funds.
He followed a daily routine that was demanding physically and mentally and on good days could spend 12 hours up and around in a wheelchair. He read avidly and enjoyed watching rugby on television. He was thrilled to see Ireland triumph in the Six Nations. He enjoyed the occasional night out, visited Fermoy and attended the Henley Regatta. In The Irish Times in February, he spoke frankly about the options available to people in his situation, including assisted suicide, the law relating to which he said should be changed while protecting vulnerable people.
However, he resolved to return to work, making use of his linguistic skills. Recently, he began to use voice recognition software enabling him to use a computer. He died after contracting pneumonia.
His organs have been donated for the benefit of others, as was his wish. His parents Brian and Una, and brothers Keith, John and Barry survive him.
Stuart Mangan: born June 3rd, 1983; died August 7th, 2009