Burly rugby player has a stroke after freak gym accident… wakes up gay

**GawsipRawksz** · November 9th, 2011, 04:30 PM

Burly rugby player has a stroke after freak gym accident… wakes up gay and becomes a hairdresser

When 19-stone rugby player Chris Birch suffered a stroke during a freak training accident, his family feared it would be a life-changing injury.
Yet while his recovery certainly brought about a transformation, it seems to have been in a way no one could have expected.
For when he regained consciousness, the 26-year-old – who was engaged to his girlfriend – claimed he had become gay.

Mr Birch’s astonishing change saw him break up with his fiancée, ditch his job in a bank to retrain as a hairdresser and lose eight stone in weight.
He has now moved in with his 19-year-old boyfriend.
The now ex-rugby player, a flanker with his local amateur reserve side, had been attempting a back flip in front of friends on a field when he fell down a grass bank, breaking his neck and suffering the stroke.

Before the stroke: Chris Birch weighed 19 stone, worked in a bank and played rugby
He was taken to hospital where his fiancée and family spent days waiting anxiously at his bedside before he delivered the shocking news.
Mr Birch recalled: ‘I was gay when I woke up and I still am. It sounds strange but when I came round I immediately felt different.
‘I wasn’t interested in women any more. I was definitely gay. I had never been attracted to a man before – I’d never even had any gay friends.
‘But I didn’t care about who I was before, I had to be true to my feelings.’
Before the accident Mr Birch, of Ystrad Mynach, South Wales, had spent his weekends watching sport and drinking with his mates.
But he said: ‘Suddenly, I hated everything about my old life. I didn’t get on with my friends, I hated sport and found my job boring.
‘I started to take more pride in my appearance, bleached my hair and started working out. I went from a 19-stone skinhead to an 11-stone preened man.
‘People I used to know barely recognised me and with my new look I became even more confident.’

Read more: Chris Birch stroke: Rugby player wakes up gay after freak gym accident | Mail Online

**Moongirl** · November 9th, 2011, 05:01 PM

^^I read this in the DM and wondered if he was maybe already gay but in the closet, and used the accident as an excuse...

**stef** · November 9th, 2011, 05:14 PM

^^ that's exactly what i thought.

**Brookie** · November 9th, 2011, 05:15 PM

Uh..................................... right.

**msdeb** · November 9th, 2011, 05:30 PM

he was afraid to speak up before, thats all.

**Grimmlok** · November 9th, 2011, 05:41 PM

Maybe the stroke destroyed the part of his brain that gives him inhibitions.

**A*O** · November 9th, 2011, 07:55 PM

Bollox - he just wanted an excuse to come out. By the way, it's OK to work in a bank and play rugby if you are gay. You have to get special permits obviously but you don't have to become a hairdresser (and by the way, your hair looks craptastic).

**fgg** · November 9th, 2011, 08:32 PM

i agree with all of you. verge of death moment = time to live your truth.

**Novice** · November 12th, 2011, 06:05 PM

Someone had a massive wake up call IMO. I'm only sad that he felt that he couldn't come out previously.

Shame that only part of the article (in the daily fail) was posted...

Mr Birch sought advice from his neurologist and was told it could all be down to the stroke opening up a different part of his brain.

Two years ago it was reported that Alan Brown, from Malvern, Worcestershire, woke from a stroke to find he was able to paint and draw in incredible detail, despite no previous evidence of the skill.

The father of three said the experience must have ‘flicked a switch’ in the creative part of his brain.

And Mr Birch certainly has no regrets about his transformation. ‘I’m nothing like the old Chris now but I wouldn’t change a thing,’ he said.

Transformation: Chris Birch with his boyfriend Jack. He said: 'I think I'm happier than ever, so I don't regret the accident'

I guess that Chris birch of Ystrad Mynach doesn't seem to exist in any location searchs is irrelivant? I strongly suspect yet another made up story from the Daily Fail...

**Rusalka** · November 12th, 2011, 06:05 PM

I kind of sympathize for the guy. I'm going with fgg's assessment, near death experience results in him not wanting to hide his true nature anymore. The guy probably lives in a homophobic environment surrounded by just the type of morons that would delude themselves into thinking this bullshit explanation is true. I can't imagine the type of guts it takes to come out even in a supportive environment so I can't judge anyone on their method. Props to him for doing it whatever way he could.

**MohandasKGanja** · November 12th, 2011, 06:32 PM

Wasn't this basically the plot of "I love you, Phillip Morris", starring Jim Carrey and Ewen McGregor?

**Rusalka** · November 12th, 2011, 07:58 PM

^Yes, except it was a car crash not a stroke for Jim Carrey's character. Good movie.

**LynnieD** · November 12th, 2011, 08:39 PM

I heard about this on Howard Stern. They had a field day with this one...

Just doesn't seem too plausible now does it?

**MohandasKGanja** · November 12th, 2011, 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by LynnieD

I heard about this on Howard Stern. They had a field day with this one...

Just doesn't seem too plausible now does it?

I went to the original article, and they only had one before picture - it was incredibly grainy and didn't look the slightest thing like him. I think it would have been a better article, and maybe more convincing, with better "before" pictures.