Nothing was going to keep Ernie Blackberry away from Saturday's NTFA finals.
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But after seven weeks in Launceston General Hospital's intensive care unit, he needed some help to get there.
After being diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome, the 54-year-old has been fighting to recover.
The rare disorder in which the body's immune system attacks its nerves has left Mr Blackberry almost completely incapacitated physically.
A strapper for the Bridgenorth Football club for more than 20 years, when the Parrots made the grand final Mr Blackberry made it clear he didn't want to miss it.
So his medical team made it happen.
On Saturday Mr Blackberry left the ICU for the first time in 47 days, with two physiotherapists, one nurse, and one doctor by his side.
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Connected to oxygen and with a tracheostomy, Dr Kara Landown said it wasn't easy, but it was worth it.
"Ernie has been stuck with us for a long time now and his mental recovery is just as important as his physical recovery," she said.
"It's been logistically very difficult, but I think worth it. This is doing him wonders."
Mr Blackberry was able to watch Bridgenorth take on Hillwood from the club's corporate box.
While his team would ultimately go down to the Sharks, his daughter Mary Blackberry said he hadn't stopped smiling.
"Bridgenorth is like his second footy family and the support they give him is fantastic," she said.
"The grin we have had on his face this morning has been fantastic.
"So we can't thank the team at the ICU enough. They have gone above and beyond."
It could take up to two years before Mr Blackberry fully recovers from the disorder.
But physiotherapist Lucy Dennis said his passion for football had already helped in his recovery.
"He said about three weeks ago, around the first final, that he really wanted to watch Bridgenorth play in the grand final," she said.
"So that's really been what drove his rehab the last few weeks. We've done anything and everything to make it happen today.
"You can imagine being in the same bed, the same four walls and not being able to be part of something that has been a part of your life for so long. So it's pretty special."
Jessica Willard
Being a health reporter to me is about more than just reporting the problems. It's about asking why they are happening in the first place and what needs to change to fix it.
Being a health reporter to me is about more than just reporting the problems. It's about asking why they are happening in the first place and what needs to change to fix it.
