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Matthew Rhys praises 'tireless' parents of friend who died after rugby tackle

Catriona AitkenBBC Wales
News imageFamily photo A woman with curly blonde hair, wearing a blue top and red cardigan. On either side of her is a man - the one on the left has dark hair and is wearing a red and green check shirt, while the one on the left is wearing a blue and navy striped rugby shirt and has dark hair and glasses. All three people are smiling and looking at the camera. They are sat at a table with glasses on it. Behind them is a wall with a mirror hanging.Family photo
Matthew Rhys (left), pictured with Paul-André's mum Gerri and brother Steve, remains a close friend of the family

Hollywood actor Matthew Rhys says there's "no one more deserving" of an MBE than the father of his late school friend, who died after being paralysed in a rugby match at the age of 26.

Paul-André Blundell, a Welsh Under-19s rugby star and close friend of Rhys, died unexpectedly of a blood clot in his lung five months after he was paralysed from the chin down following a tackle in 2001.

His parents Rob and Gerri, from Whitchurch in Cardiff, have spent the past 25 years raising awareness of spinal cord injuries and £600,000 to help fund research into treatment and recovery.

Rob was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the King's Birthday Honours list last week.

News imageFamily photo A topless man with a neck brace lying in a hospital bed. His hairy chest is strapped to the bed by blue cross-ver straps. Beside him are a man and woman. They both have dark hair and the man has an arm around the woman. He is wearing a dark shirt and sge is wearing a lilac jumper with a red plastic apron over it. They are both smiling and looking at the camera.Family photo
Rob and Gerri Blundell's son Paul-André died in 2001 from complications during his recovery from injuries sustained in a rugby match

Paul-André, known by his friends and family as P-A, was a keen sportsman who played rugby for Wales Under-19s.

He and Emmy-winner Rhys became friends at five years old when they both attended Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Melin Gruffydd, as well as the local Scouts group, and were "always up to mischief" together.

News imageBlundell family P-A (far left) and Rhys (far right) in Scouts together as children wearing Scout outfitsBlundell family
P-A (far left) and Rhys (far right) in Scouts together

"[P-A] was an exceptional guy," said Rob, 80. "Very popular, always smiling, would always help.

"Through school he played all sorts of sports - cricket, gold, rugby. Not to mention athletics. You name it, he did it."

After graduating from the University of Wales College Cardiff, P-A moved to Bath where he joined Keynsham RFC to play in the England South West League One.

But in September 2001, P-A suffered a severe neck injury during a rugby match, resulting in complete paralysis from the chin down.

News imageFamily photo/Keynsham RFC A man with brown hair wearing a black and yellow rugby strip and running on a field holding a rugby ball. Other players are visible in the background.Family photo/Keynsham RFC
After leaving Wales, P-A played for Keynsham RFC first team in the English South West League One

Rob and Gerri spent every day with their son in hospital helping him with his recovery, in what Rob described as a "hard, hard time".

P-A was drawing up plans to support spinal injury research himself, when he died from a pulmonary embolism - a blood clot in his lung.

"Everyone in the family was traumatised and horrified," said Rob.

"Losing a child is probably the worst thing a parent can do. Even now, it's as painful as ever, but you cope with it."

Following their son's death, Rob and Gerri, 83, founded Trust PA - a charity which has raised more than £600,000 for spinal cord injuries awareness and to fund research into treatment and recovery.

Their Eyes Up campaign was adopted by the Welsh Rugby Union and Rugby Football Union before being incorporated into guidance used by World Rugby, and has influenced player safety at all levels of the game, particularly encouraging youth rugby players to protect themselves when going into a tackle.

News imageFamily photo A man with brown hair, wearing a blue polo shirt and dark trousers. He is sat on a stone ledge with a stone wall and sea visible in the background. He has one hand in his pocket.Family photo
Paul-André Blundell was an "exceptional guy", his father says

Rhys visited P-A in hospital shortly before his death and quickly became a patron of the charity.

Rob said Rhys was "very down to earth" and had always kept in touch with him and Gerri, hosting a charity ball for them in Cardiff alongside Fantastic Four actor Ioan Gruffudd.

Speaking about Rob's MBE, Rhys said: "No one deserves this more. His and Gerri's tireless efforts have been as tenacious as they have been Herculean.

"So incredibly happy to see Rob receive the recognition he so deserves."

Every two hours someone in the UK is paralysed after a spinal cord injury, according to charity Spinal Research.

The charity has partnered with Rob and Gerri to merge Trust PA into their existing work as the couple take a step back after Gerri had a stroke in February 2025.

This will take the form of the P-A Blundell Legacy Fund for Spinal Research, with money raised funding three-year PhD studentships in spinal cord repair and restoration.

Spinal Research's chief executive Louisa McGinn said Rob "so richly deserves this honour".

Rob said he was "very pleased with what we've done".

"I'd have loved to have doubled it, trippled it, quadrupled it," he said.

News imageSpinal Research An older couple sat side by side in a cafe. The man is bald with a white beard and mousache and is wearing a blue shirt and brown check tie. He is smiling and looking at the camera, with one hand round the back of his wife, who is sat in a wheelchair. She has blond hair and is wearing a blue t shirt and sunglasses with a colourful bag on her lap.Spinal Research
Rob and Gerri are taking a step back from the charity after Gerri suffered a stroke last year, but are please P-A's legacy will live on through Spinal Research

Rob said news of his MBE was "totally unexpected but wonderful" - though he added Gerri had been "in on it".

"I was really quite emotional," he said.

"The truth is there are just so many wonderful people who have helped and supported me over the years – not least my right-hand Gerri, who deserves this even more.

"So, I will be accepting this outstanding honour not just for myself but on behalf of Gerri and everyone else who have been a part of this journey."