Walk, don’t run.
It’s not often the Dragon known as “Truck” gets that direction.
But Jacob Halangahu, with the help of Talk2MeBro and flanked by his younger brother Luka, will set off next week on an overnight, 50-kilometre walk through Wollongong as part of Suicide Prevention Month.
Still just 20, Halangahu has spent his off-season trying to reset while maintaining his fitness ahead of the side’s preseason training block.
An Instagram post from an old friend sparked Halangahu's motivation to reach out to the club’s Cultural and Inclusion Officer, Ben Murdoch-Masila, who put him in touch with the community-driven mental health and suicide prevention charity Talk2MeBro.
“I was just sitting at home the other day, and one of the boys I went to school with put up a video for Suicide Prevention Month,” Halangahu said.
“If I can make any difference or make someone feel comfortable enough to reach out and talk, that’s my goal.”
“I watched the whole video, and it made me sit there and think about it and think about everything I went through growing up. I want people to know that it doesn’t hurt to reach out to someone and just ask how they’re doing… I’m going to try and use my small platform. If I can make any difference or make someone feel comfortable enough to reach out and talk, that’s my goal.”
The eldest of eight siblings, Halangahu grew up in a housing commission in Sydney’s West and has faced all the ups and downs that come with being a teenage rugby league prodigy.
“Not everyone understands the hard work and the pressure that athletes face year-round,” he said.
“Often, we have to put on a brave face and just get on with the job because, at the end of the day, it’s a business and we’re getting paid to do it… I definitely thought about all my teammates. Murds (Murdoch-Masila) tries to get us boys to open up and talk. He’s provided that space for us every week.”
Halangahu will be joined on the walk by Luka, who is beginning to prepare for his maiden SG Ball campaign with St George.
“I was just driving home one day, and I decided I wanted to get involved,” Halangahu said.
“I had my little brother in the front seat next to me, and I just turned to him and asked if he wanted to join me. We fight a little bit here and there, but if there’s someone I want to do this with, it’s definitely him. I want to show him that it’s alright to be vulnerable and it’s alright to open up… I have seven siblings, so even if I can just get Luka to open up, then, hopefully, he can get the next sibling under him to do the same, and it’s just a flow-on effect from there.”
Jacob and Luka will be joined by dad Toa for part of the walk, which is set to begin at North Wollongong’s Stuart Park late next Tuesday night.
“Dad actually rang me this morning and said he’s going to join in on the walk for a bit before he goes to work as well,” he said.
“Talk2MeBro have been unreal. They’ve helped me organise a lot of it. We’ll gather at Stuart Park late that night, go over our route, say a little prayer and then go from there.”
