Former Wales international Jonathan Davies has paid tribute to a rugby-playing relative who has died almost 10 years after suffering a serious head injury in a match.
Former police officer Dylan Rees passed away at a Llanelli care home a day after his 43rd birthday. Back in 2013, Dylan suffered a bleed in his brain while playing centre for Clwb Rygbi Cymru Caerdydd when he collapsed after a tackle just 40 seconds before the end of the game.
He underwent an emergency operation before going into a coma. His family were later told he would require around the clock care for the rest of his life.
Dylan is survived by his parents Graham and Gwen, brothers Wyn and Aled, and sister Sian. A public funeral service will be held at St Thomas Church, St Dogmaels, at 12:30pm on Tuesday, October 11.
"It's really tragic," said Davies, a BBC commentator and former dual-code international. "He was such a nice kid, a real hard rugby player.
"He was my first cousin. It's very, very sad. It's a real tragedy as he was a lovely kid.
"It's obviously been tough since the incident. I'm thinking of Graham, Gwen, Wyn, Aled and Sian at this moment."
Mrs Rees said in a 2015 interview that her son had intended to spend that particular weekend back home in St Dogmaels, but opted instead to delay his visit in order to take part in the match. Following the incident, the local community rallied around the family.
In October 2014, Davies and several other former Wales internationals including Brynmor Williams, Wayne Proctor, Phil Davies and Tom Shanklin turned out in a fund-raising match at Cardigan that ultimately raised around £50,000.
Speaking in 2015, Graham Rees told S4C: “If only he could talk and tell us what’s worrying him that would be a lot more comforting.
“If only we knew how he feels, that he could say how he feels, that would help us to cope with this.
“As he was so lively and full of life, always had been... and now he depends on the care he has from the nurses for everything he needs.”
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