Dylan Walker, 20, and Aaron Gray, 21, were admitted to an intensive care unit in Sydney’s St Vincent’s hospital after being in a serious condition at Gray’s residence.
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‘They were fairly heavily sedated for some time but I can report to you now that both players are showing signs of (being awake) and we think that will improve more in the coming hours later today, ‘ he said.
A friend called an ambulance for the pair at 3.45am on Tuesday after they started reacting to the painkillers they were prescribed following surgeries last week.
South Sydney were knocked out of the NRL Finals this month, and both Walker and Gray had been prescribed highly-addictive pain-relief drugs after undergoing surgery ahead of pre-season training. “We are not sure exactly yet of what Aaron Gray has reacted to, why he was there”. “One of the boys has an infection on his lung and they’re dealing with that”.
The Nine Network’s Danny Weidler claimed the Gray family were told their son’s life was in the balance, with his chances of survival put at “50-50”.
Dylan Walker and Aaron Gray were hospitalised early yesterday morning after overdosing on the opiate Oxycodone.
South Sydney CEO John Lee has stated that the players’ welfare is the priority and would not say what the future holds for the two young men.
“[It is understood that] they had actually taken more than the regulated amount of prescribed medication.”
‘The thing we learned personally is someone who should have been here one day was gone the next by the simple use of drugs. The problem is prescription drugs.
RON MURATORE: This thing came up about three or four years ago.
Warriors doctor John Mayhew last year described the NRL’s prescription drug abuse problem as “widespread” but told Fairfax media earlier this year that his observations indicated it wasn’t as common this season.
DAVID MARK: What do you make then of the anecdotal evidence, where people say that this is a serious issue in the sport?
However it’s brought the abuse of prescription medication to the fore. But there are times where they probably shouldn’t play, yeah?
“It’s fine to take them to ease pain or if you’ve had an operation, but to take them recreationally instead of drinking, it’s when you cross the line”.
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“I have seen it from overseas when Australians in general go overseas and people from overseas are shocked by the use or prescription drugs (in Australia)”.
