Hype Press Limited

By Andrew Corless

A mum of five watched in horror as her husband collapsed mid-race at their children’s sports day, before doctors delivered the devastating news that he had suffered a ‘catastrophic brain injury.’

Kayley Day (33), a beautician from Hertfordshire, UK, reveals how her partner Steven (36) appeared perfectly healthy just moments before the terrifying incident unfolded in front of their young children.

The couple had been enjoying the school event on May 23, 2022, cheering on their sons Mason (10) and Hudson (6), as they raced alongside their classmates.

“It was actually my mum’s birthday, who I lost in 2017,” Kayley recalls.

“Steven was doing everything he could to keep my spirits up. 

“People even commented on how happy and in love we looked.”

But within minutes, their lives would change forever.

When dads were invited to take part in a parents’ race, former semi-pro footballer Steven eagerly stepped forward.

“I remember holding his hand a little longer before he went,” Kayley says.

“He looked back at me and winked.”

Seconds later, disaster struck.

As the race began, Steven suddenly lost balance, his body veering off course before he crashed to the ground in a sickening fall.

“I knew it was going to be bad, so I looked away,” Kayley says.

“But when I looked back, there was blood everywhere.

“His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed in my arms. I was screaming for someone to call an ambulance.”

Initially fearing he had simply broken his nose, the reality proved far more sinister.

After being rushed to the hospital, Kayley was pulled aside by doctors and given the news that would shatter her world.

“I’ll never forget the words,” she says.

“They told me, ‘Your husband has suffered a catastrophic brain injury.’”

Steven had experienced a type of stroke called a subarachnoid haemorrhage, which caused the fall.

The impact left him with a broken neck, spinal injuries, and a skull fracture stretching from ear to ear.

“The next 24 hours were critical,” Kayley says.

“I just kept saying, ‘We have four children… please don’t let him die.’”

Steven spent six weeks in hospital, including time in intensive care, before finally returning home in July 2022.

But the nightmare was far from over.

“The hospital was the easy part,” Kayley admits.

“I had no idea how hard life was going to be.”

Once home, the family were forced to adjust to a completely different reality.

Steven was left with severe disabilities, including hearing loss, double vision, difficulty swallowing, and overwhelming fatigue.

“He used to be so active,” Kayley says.

“Now he needs to rest constantly. Some days he can’t do anything.”

The emotional toll on the family was devastating.

“For a year, we cried every single day,” she says.

“Our home used to be so happy, but everything changed overnight.”

Their children also struggled to cope, suffering nightmares and anxiety after witnessing their father’s collapse.

“They were so young, and we feel robbed of those years,” Kayley says.

“The strain pushed our marriage to breaking point.

“I didn’t feel like his wife anymore, I felt like his carer.

“I had to grieve the man he used to be.”

During the ordeal, Kayley also suffered multiple miscarriages, including one just days after Steven’s stroke.

“I went through it feeling completely alone,” she says.

“He’d lost his empathy after the brain injury. That was incredibly hard.”

Financial pressures added further strain, with Steven unable to return to work.

The family were forced onto benefits, while also covering the cost of private treatment and therapy.

Despite early support, Kayley says many people eventually disappeared from their lives.

“At first, everyone was there,” she says.

“But once he came home, it felt like we were forgotten.

“People think, ‘at least he’s alive,’ but they don’t understand.

“Our lives have changed forever.”

Now, nearly four years on, the family are slowly rebuilding.

The arrival of their youngest child Steven Jnr (1), has brought new hope, and Kayley says she and Steven are learning to fall in love again.

“We’re starting to find happiness,” she says.

“He’s joking again, being more like himself.”

The couple now homeschool their children and focus on spending as much time together as possible. 

“We’ve had to adapt to a life full of sacrifices,” Kayley says.

“But we’re grateful we still have each other.”

Her message to others is simple.

“Don’t just send a message, show up,” she says.

“Brain injury changes everything. And the journey doesn’t just end when someone survives.”