Game on for fundraising Dreadnoughts

Dreadnoughts players Joe Perry, Paul Hook, Stuart Rees, and Luke Head-Rapson with Dan Wierzbicki

Picture: Paul Jacobs (151030-3) — Dreadnoughts players Joe Perry, Paul Hook, Stuart Rees, and Luke Head-Rapson with Dan Wierzbicki Picture: Paul Jacobs (151030-3)

It was for Dan Wierzbicki, who was hurt in a skiing accident.

Sam Guillen, 28, committee chairman of the Portsmouth American football team said: ‘We started this fundraising straight away because one of our own was in such a serious accident.

‘Dan was one of the first members to join the Dreadnoughts when it started and even though he left, he was still very much a member of the team.’

Portsmouth Dreadnoughts player Will Purkiss is tackled by a Hastings Conquerors player (151030-6)

The American football player turned skier was left paralysed from the chest down after a skiing accident snapped his sternum.

Mr Wierzbicki also suffered a bleed on his brain, fractured his neck and three ribs, and crushed his T3 and T4 vertebrae damaging his spinal cord.

Amazingly it is Dan’s dream to get back on the slopes.

Mr Wierzbicki said: ‘I can’t thank the Dreadnoughts enough for arranging this amazing event.

‘A lot of hard work and effort has been put in to it, on top of the added pressure of the game itself. The win just topped off the day.’

Mr Wierzbicki, from Portsmouth, has been supported by the Back Up Trust charity which has helped with his rehabilitation.

The Portsmouth Dreadnoughts, who won yesterday’s match 28-0, felt that the best way they could raise money for the charity was to put on a match.

As well as this sporting event, other attractions on the day included a bouncy castle, stalls, a raffle and laser tag.