Matt King passed away in February 2021 aged just 33 after suffering heart failure following a prolonged stay in hospital in Bedfordshire, where he was admitted in early December with bowel problems.
Matt suffered a serious spinal injury playing for London Broncos Academy as a 17 year old.
The injury left him paralysed from the neck down and unable to breathe independently.
His injury led to the creation of the RL Benevolent Fund, which has supported him ever since during a period when he defied his disability to achieve great things.
He was awarded an OBE in 2012 for services to charity, having raised tens of thousands of pounds for the RL Benevolent Fund and other organisations through a series of events and activities.
He became a successful and talented mouth artist, producing some fantastic artwork using his mouth alone, and gained a First Class honours law degree.
Matt was a pioneer who refused to accept the boundaries laid down by the impact of his accident and shared his infectious enthusiasm for life as an inspirational speaker with businesses, education and sports teams across the UK.
His story is captured in his autobiography 04.04.04 published in 2015, which the Independent described as “the inspirational journey of a truly inspirational man.”
