Almanac People: Resilient Lincoln the Inspirational Mascot

BY – JACKSON CLARK 

 

Lincoln Bruhn may be the oldest mascot in Australian Football, but he wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

The 21-year-old has had to jump many hurdles in his life after being diagnosed with a brain tumour at the age of 14 months.

 

After suffering a stroke during surgery as a baby, Bruhn required intensive therapy to allow him to do the basics in life, such as walk, talk and eat.

 

It left him permanently blind in one eye and completely paralysed down one side of his body.

 

Bruhn is unable to play contact sports as a heavy blow to the head would almost certainly prove fatal.

 

In total he has had ten surgeries on his brain; each time he has had to learn how to walk again and the thing that has kept him motivated is knowing that he has to get back up to run out with his footy team.

 

“Football is one of the main things in my life, I live for it,” said Bruhn.

 

“Although I have never been able to play the game due to my disabilities, I like to participate with the other players and I do this by running out with the players each week.

 

“I love being part of the team and have been lucky in that all of the clubs I have been involved with have accepted me as part of the team.”

 

I would argue that Bruhn, and others that are as passionate as him, are not just part of the team, but the heart and soul of the team.

 

Bruhn started running out with the CMS Crows in South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula Football League in 2007 before moving up to Darwin three years later and joining the Banks Football Club.

 

He has recently started running out with the Moonta Football Club and last week notched up a personal milestone of 150 career games as mascot.

 

Bruhn says it has allowed him to create many new friendships and that he is always there to support and encourage the players.
Lincoln’s mother Angela could not be prouder of her son’s achievements.

 

“When he was diagnosed with the brain tumour we were told they could operate straight away or we could wait two weeks – we waited two weeks as it could have been the last two weeks we had with him.

 

“The last surgery was five years ago, he was so upset as it was around the time the Banks Football Club were in the finals and he really wanted to run out.

 

“He left hospital in a wheelchair but was determined to walk, so he did a lot of therapy exercises to get himself to training on his crutches.”

 

As a testament to Bruhn’s determination, he was up and about walking without assistance just one week later and was able to run out with his team.

 

“All the clubs have been so good to him.

 

“Lincoln gets very nervous before he runs out and often makes a speech to the boys before they head out to play.”

 

As for his career highlights?

 

“I was lucky enough to run out with NT Thunder in 2012, thanks to my mate Brad Vassal who is a past player.

 

“I also got to run out with the Woodville West-Torrens in the SANFL thanks to my mate Matthew Goldsworthy and my brother Henry for organising it.”

 

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(Twitter – @JClark182)

About Jackson Clark

Born and bred in Darwin, Northern Territory, I am a young, aspiring football writer that lives and breathes the game of Australian Football. I'm also a keen player and coach.

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