Harry Judd is believed to have a very close bond with his brother-in-law Rupert, who suffered a heartbreaking brain injury at 18 years old.
Back in 2012, Harry married his long-term partner, Izzy. But as well as gaining a wife, he gained another brother. And it seems that bond has only grown stronger over the years.
Izzy has been very open about her brother’s brain injury, and has explained that he and Harry bonded over their shared love for music. And the McFly singer has previously spoken about their relationship.
So, let’s have a look at everything we know.
Rupert’s heartbreaking brain injury
Back in 1997, Rupert was involved in a serious car crash. As a result, he was on a life-support machine and it was clear he had suffered severe brain damage. The cause of the crash has not been revealed.
But Izzy has spoke about just how horrendous the experience was. In 2013, she explained to The Mirror: “It was so bad there was talk of switching off the life-support machine. But he kept fighting, even though the odds were against him for a long time.”
He was in a coma for two months, and needed 13 hours of brain surgery. Along with that, his face and skull needed rebuilding with metal plates.
One day, Izzy’s dad brought an instrument and a Mozart recording to the hospital, and Rupert’s fingers moved along the valves, which was a sign he was coming out of the coma.
But heartbreakingly, Rupert lost the left frontal lobe of his brain, and the right frontal lobe is “damaged beyond repair”, so because of this, he will “never be independent.”
The family worked closely with the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust, a charity that cares for people with acquired brain injuries. But one person outside of the family Rupert bonded immediately with, was Harry.
Harry and Rupert’s close friendship
Because the accident occurred before Harry and Izzy knew each other, the McFly drummer didn’t know what Rupert was like beforehand.
Izzy explained: “Harry has only ever known Rupert as he is now. He has always been very accepting of him. They get on so well, they are really close. Their shared love of music helped, but Rupert is very lovable.”
Harry has spoken about his relationship with Rupert himself in the same interview, admitting that the whole situation isn’t “difficult” for him.
He said: “I think it’s good to have someone like me see Rupert through different eyes. It’s not as difficult for me as I didn’t know him before. I can see him for who he is, not who he might have once been.”
Harry admitted that Rupert is a “unique person” who brings a “sense of reality” along with him, because his “future totally changed”.
Rupert even played his own music at Harry and Izzy’s wedding in 2012, and seemingly loves to tell people that Harry is in McFly.
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Izzy and Harry raising awareness
In 2020, Harry and Izzy became ambassadors for The Children’s Trust. But their main goal is to raise funds and awareness for children living with brain injuries.
The pair have made it their mission to do whatever they can to help others, after seeing first-hand the devastating effects brain injuries can have on lives.
Izzy has posted numerous updates on Rupert on social media. And just earlier this week (February 7) she shared an update on the anniversary.
She posted a photo of the pair when they were younger, alongside the caption: “Living grief is painful in a quiet, ongoing way. Watching someone you love, with so much talent, charisma and energy, live a life that no longer allows those things to fully exist is hard.
“Brain injury is complex and deeply individual. For Rupert, it changed everything. For me, it’s a sadness that never really leaves. Roops still lights up any room, always funny, always him.”
Read more: Harry Judd’s wife Izzy reveals one of their children has been given life-changing diagnosis
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