Meet Roy

After many years in Jamaica, Roy returned to England and found a love for rugby.  At just twenty, he began a professional rugby career with Warrington Rugby League Club in Northern England. In his first professional year, he won the young and most improved player of the year. Three years later he played professional Rugby League in Auckland, New Zealand, but unfortunately, upon returning back to England, Roy’s career came to a tragic and sudden end. During a game, he was tackled by three players, lifted into the air and driven head first into the ground, his head trapped between his body and the ground as all three players collapsed upon him. His neck was instantly broken in three places.  He was 24 years old at the time.

Over the course of the next ten months, surgeons spent over fifteen hours operating to permanently wire and fuse his neck together with bone grafts from his pelvis. Roy spent many weeks in hospital in traction and nearly two years wearing a halo attached to his skull, or in a neck brace. On many occasions, the surgeons told him that he would NEVER run again, and at best, walk with a limp.  Another year was spent struggling with severe depression and PTSD, but he persevered.    

In the years following, Roy married and had children, delivering both his daughters, and then became a stay home “Mr. Mom” to his beautiful little girls. He said, in his opinion, it was the "world’s toughest job, but he survived."  One of his most memorable adventures was when he backpacked around Taiwan and Thailand with his daughters when they were 11 and 9. His goal was to introduce his children to the value of life, money, and culture. He showed them hard travelling as they had to sleep on trains, stay in run-down hostels and sleep in huts amongst Elephant camps. As his daughters grew up he encouraged them to live healthy, active lives. Both girls became triathletes, runners, competitive volleyball players, and provincial swimmers. 

Prior to these years, though, he had lost all confidence to return to physical activities.  But in 1999, thanks to his very active five year old daughter, who Roy had to "chase" up and down the street, his body began to respond positively.  Over the next 6 months, Roy went from only being able to run 50 meters to running a Vancouver Half Marathon (albiet in extreme pain). Roy became determined to prove the doctors wrong. 

Since then, Roy not only runs, but he has competed amongst the world’s elite in many marathons, ultra distance open water swimming races, Ironman triathlete events including Ironman Canada (twice) and the Hawaii Ironman World Championship. He also has a love for running extreme ultra Marathons and adventure races around the world including the renowned Marathon des Sables “world’s toughest foot race” (240 km stage race in the Sahara Desert). He has also run multi-day races through the Amazon jungle in spite of battling chronic pain and continued weakness on his left side of his body. 

Roy persevered through trauma and has defied the odds.  He has not only attained his personal goals, he has excelled in them, turning adversity into triumph and opportunity.

Roy has transformed his personal hardships into powerful tools to help others.  He has been a Youth Worker for the past three decades working with at-risk youth on the streets, youth treatment programs, and now, works with the Delta School District in British Columbia, Canada.

Roy was honoured with a nomination for Coast Mental Health’s Courage To Come Back Award.

He is also a powerful motivational speaker who has shared his inspiring life to thousands of youth and adults. He has been a member of the Cloverdale Toastmasters International for the past five years and has won many major accolades. He shares his stories of overcoming the odds and his worldly races and adventures in a powerful, motivating way.

In 2021, he obtained his Life Coach certification to give greater credibility to his clients.  Roy’s number one goal in life is to inspire others to live the life they have always wanted in spite of adversity. 

Roy will motivate and inspire you to get to the next level in life and reach your goals. He talks the talk and walks the walk. From a broken neck to running the Sahara Desert. He’s a powerful influence to all.

Adapted by 

Jenny Gehiere

2021