THE SUNSHINE COAST NEWSPAPER COLUMN - NATHAN BERRY, FOREVER YOUNG

By Graham Potter | Sunday, April 6, 2014

Graham Potter writes a weekly column for the Sunshine Coast daily. Due to demand from those having trouble accessing the paper these columns are now also published on HRO courtesy of the Sunshine Coast daily

The immensely sad passing of twenty-three year old Nathan Berry on Thursday afternoon left the racing world reeling with grief. The despair, the disbelief and overwhelming sense of loss numbed all senses as the terrible finality of it all sunk in.

The rider had collapsed at track-work in Singapore on March 18 and was rushed to hospital where, after suffering several seizures, he was placed in an induced coma after being diagnosed with Norse Syndrome, a rare disease linked to epilepsy.

After further complications Berry was transferred by a special medical flight to Sydney on Thursday, but the worst possible news was confirmed later that day.

Thankfully Berry had been able to enjoy the highest of highs, both in his professional and private life, just prior to being struck down by the deadly disease.

His superb win on Unencumbered in the two-year-old Magic Millions Classic in January confirmed the coming star had arrived but all of that success was tame compared to the exhilaration of the events of February 2 when Berry and his beautiful bride, Whitney, pledged their future to each other.

Life could not have been any better … and then the unthinkable happened.

Berry’s positives were many. He was hard working to a fault, talented, personable, caring, humble … a genuine role model in a world where the description is often overused. He was, in short, a true credit to his family and the sport which he graced for all too short a time.

The closeness of the Berry family has always been in evidence. That family expanded when Nathan married Whitney (daughter and sister of fellow riders Glyn and Chad Schofield respectively) and the family bond that existed before became all the stronger by the increase in numbers.

Then came the news of Berry’s life threatening battle and suddenly all of racing felt part of some inner circle … determined to comfort the family, to pray for Nathan’s recovery and to do everything in its power to help ease the pain of the moment.

But there was to be no happy ending.

This column, on behalf of its readers, passes on condolences to both the Berry and Schofield families. It sounds so little for somebody who meant so much to so many, but we trust the family will all find the strength, as they have done so magnificently during Nathan’s illness, to fight through the challenges of the coming weeks in the way Nathan would have done had any roles been reversed.

He would have drawn strength from the memories of the good times … and so should we.

Maybe this sad occasion should also be a prompt for us all to take a step back and smell the roses and to be grateful for what we have in life and to make the best of each moment. Maybe we could call it our ‘Nathan Berry moment’ one which would honour his memory while putting our lives in perspective in a way which might lead to more satisfaction and contentment being felt by all.

I think Nathan would liked that.

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