Harry Froling doesn’t remember much about the night his life changed forever.
The basketballer had bragging rights over his brother Sam Froling, after helping his NBL team, the Brisbane Bullets defeat his brother’s team, the Illawarra Hawks in Wollongong.
The Townsville local remembers having some drinks at his brother’s house before heading into town.
But from that point his memory falters.
“I have little flashes of the night,” Froling said.
“Then I just remember waking up on Wednesday, four days later and asking mum when I came to, ‘Why am I in hospital? What happened?'”
Froling had been punched in the head outside a Wollongong nightclub in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The subsequent head injury left the 26-year-old with a fractured skull and multiple haematomas, or bleeding of the brain.
Harry Froling underwent brain surgery after he was punched in the head during a night out in Wollongong. (Supplied: Harry Froling)
When he woke from his emergency brain surgery, his doctor delivered the news that his basketball career was over.
“The general medical advice was not to play again,” he said.
His attacker, 22-year-old carpentry apprentice Nathan Mesinez, was jailed on Friday after pleading guilty to one count of reckless grievous bodily harm.
He was sentenced to a prison term of two years and seven months with a non-parole period of one year and four months.
“I feel like I’ve been given a prison sentence,” Froling said.
“I have been out of the sport now for nearly two years, not been earning money, not working.
“My whole identity was ripped from me by someone making a stupid and aggressive decision on a night out when both parties could have simply walked away.”
CCTV shows one-punch attack
According to the agreed facts, the encounter with Mesinez occurred at about 2:30am outside Heyday nightclub in the Wollongong CBD.
Earlier in the night, Froling, who was visibly intoxicated, was kicked out of the club.
He re-entered the building a short time later.
Nathan Mesinez was sentenced to two years and seven months jail over the one-punch attack. (Facebook)
Froling was dancing near a group of girls including Mesinez’s girlfriend, who told him to go away after he tapped her on the head.
A short time later he approached the girls outside the nightclub.
“I remember seeing you in the nightclub,” Froling said.
Mesinez’s girlfriend told Froling to go away before the then 19-year-old offender stepped in front of the basketballer.
CCTV footage captures the moment harry Froling was punched in the head. (Supplied)
CCTV footage of the encounter was played at the sentencing hearing.
It shows the woman pushing Froling, shortly before Mesinez steps between them and punches the basketballer in the side of the head with his left fist.
Froling falls heavily to the ground.
Froling said the jail sentence “sends a message to the public” about nightlife violence.
“It is important we have to deter this sort of thing because it changes and ruins lives for victims and the offenders,” he said.
‘Long journey ahead’
One of the girls stayed behind following the attack and attempted to put Froling into the recovery position.
He had blood coming out of his right ear and was slurring his speech and police initially believed he was drunk and had fallen over.
Froling was taken to Wollongong Hospital but checked himself out and boarded a plane back to Brisbane with his teammates.
Froling’s neurosurgeon advised him to avoid playing baskettball. (Supplied: Harry Froling)
When he landed in Brisbane, he was barely able to walk and was rushed to hospital.
“The neurosurgeon said it was a miracle I am alive considering the size of the bleed I had and flying with it 10 hours later,” Froling said.
“Obviously with a severe head injury it is a long journey ahead.”
Twenty months after the injury, Froling said simple daily tasks remained difficult and he suffered from migraines and memory loss.
NBL player Harry Froling was found unconscious on the footpath after a suspected assault in Wollongong. (Photo by Brett Hemmings/Getty Images)
The Brisbane Bullets declined to take up the second-year option on Froling’s contract.
He claimed he has missed out on more than $250,000 worth of sports contracts, on top of his rehabilitation costs.
The 2019 NBL rookie of the year reunited with semi-professional team Mackay Basketball, who provided him with space to continue his rehabilitation.
He said it had been helpful being around a team environment, even if he could not be out on the court.
“I do dream of playing again and I am going to do everything in my power to do that,” he said.
“I am just lucky to be alive and I’m taking it day by day.”
“A lot of people tell you, you can’t and won’t do things and it’s just time to go out there and prove them wrong.”
Harry Froling has reunited with his previous amatuer baskettball team Mackay who are helping with his rehabilitation. (ABC Illawarra: Justin Huntsdale)
Froling said if he could not overcome the odds, he hoped to build a future in the sport he loves.
“I am optimistic about it all but I’m also realistic. I may never play basketball again but I do love it and I want to be around it in some space.”
