When I heard about the news of Jerome and the injury he sustained against Serge Ambomo, I was just returning from spending a couple of days with ex world champion Paul Ingle. Although I haven’t suffered a brain injury myself, as the ghostwriter of Paul’s life story, I’ve spent many days, weeks and months chatting with Paul, his family and even his neurosurgeon about life before the injury, the blank period and then life after the injury. I feel a certain level of empathy and sympathy all in one.
This is a very uncertain time for Jerome as each and every brain injury comes with its own bespoke complications afterwards. I sincerely hope that whatever hand of fate Jerome has been dealt is one which he can recover from.
This sport is one of the highest ‘risk versus return’ disciplines and many fighters when they retire have little to fall back on, but at least have the capacity to earn money. Jerome doesn’t have that luxury at this present moment in time, but we pray his window of opportunity is not too far into the distant future.
As opposed to many other sports, where there is a safety net of funding and a pool of resources, boxing, unless you are at elite level, is void of most of the pre-mentioned I’m afraid. That doesn’t and didn’t, stop the likes of Jerome Wilson giving his absolute best every time he stepped through those ropes. Jerome’s status as a professional boxer means he was part of a performing fraternity who entertained the likes of me and you and without him and the others who risk their wellbeing every time they stepped through the ropes, there would be no boxing.
The Coldwell stable is making an active effort to help raise funds for Jerome and his family. As a self employed man, supporting his wife and four children, he was the bread winner. What many fail to recognise with illness or injury of any kind is that it shows no sympathy to paying bills. Jerome has undergone life saving surgery and remains in critical condition. His family’s immediate future will be supporting him as much as they can. It’s down to the boxing fraternity at large to help his family as much as possible.
A HUGE thanks for the donations to date. If you wish to make any further donations, please take the time to read the instructions below to send money direct to his wife Michelle.
Log into Paypal.
Click Send Money.
Type in Michelle’s e-mail address – [email protected]
Send your donations
You can also send cheques made payable to ‘M.L.Boyce’ at Coldwell Boxing, Olympic House, 131 Masbrough Street, Rotherham, S60 1HW.
On behalf of the DailySport, Dave, Spencer, Damien, Katie, Beth, Matt and Lee from Coldwell Boxing, we say a big thank you.