426 days: Inside Julian Dunn’s journey back to football in Halifax

Last month, following his season debut against York United on Aug. 22, Halifax Wanderers centre-back Julian Dunn allowed himself a moment to reflect on how far he’d come. It’d been exactly 426 days between professional minutes and, despite the pain, self-doubt and a grueling rehabilitation, the 25-year old defender felt grateful to be back playing the beautiful game.

But Dunn’s journey wasn’t without complications. His Achilles tear, sustained last June versus Vancouver FC, was his second major injury in recent years, having ruptured his patellar tendon while playing in Norway. It’s one of the reasons he decided to share his journey on Instagram: he felt he owed it to himself given his hard work.

“The post that I made on social media was huge for a lot of people,” Dunn told CanPL.ca. “If you know me, I’m not really the biggest on social media but I felt like I owed it to myself and everybody else to share what I’ve been through. You know what, you can do it. You’re going to go through some dark times but there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Essentially, that’s what I’m trying to live by.”

Many around the club, including head coach Patrice Gheisar, commended Dunn’s professionalism even as he watched patiently from the sidelines. His return was cause for celebration.

“His story is of a player of the highest determination that just had a real misfortune with injury and fought so hard to get back,” said Gheisar when asked about Dunn’s return.

“He’s been out and ineligible to play until like three weeks ago and been involved so much as if he was playing. To see him give so much and get nothing back — and I’m referring to playing — was such a selfless, great act for all of us to witness.

“To see him come back, and overcome this major obstacle he went through, it’s a great story and something that we’re all proud of.”

(Photo by Trevor MacMillan/Halifax Wanderers)

Dunn joined the Wanderers last year and immediately found his way into Gheisar’s starting XI. He spoke about wanting to get back on the radar of the Canadian national team. And he looked strong following his rehabilitation from his knee injury in Norway.

However, on June 23 at Willoughby Community Park, disaster struck.

“The first half, I just remember opening up to receive the ball and I took a step back and I just felt something go in my left leg," Dunn said. "I thought maybe my calf was spasming or it was a calf cramp. I stepped down and I jumped right back up and I remember my foot was elevated. I was just walking around. I couldn’t really push off with my toe. But I thought, I’m just going to walk it off, but obviously, I couldn’t."

Once on the bench, the Wanderers’ physio staff did some testing and knew he’d hurt his Achilles. Despite his personal situation, Dunn addressed his teammates at halftime to try and motivate them. Ultimately, the Wanderers won 4-1 for their first victory of the season.

But Dunn said he knew he needed help to get back from yet another serious injury. He flew to Ontario for surgery and returned to Halifax to be around the club and was ever-present for the remainder of the season. Dunn even spent part of the off-season in Nova Scotia. Importantly, he said, he started working with a sports psychologist to help him navigate the highs and lows of a recovery that took over a year.

“Your mind plays tricks on you, especially when you’re in a situation like this. I did a lot of work with a sports psychologist and there’s some tough conversations that we had because it’s not easy,” explained Dunn.

“They kind of shifted my mindset in a sense where you show gratitude and be appreciative for what you go through. I feel like it’s really helped me, even returning back to the pitch, and given me that extra layer of confidence; you’re really not even thinking about the injury. A lot of guys are operating in a mindset where they’re scared to get hurt again so never really unleash their full potential. You never want to operate like that.”

Dunn is striving to help the Wanderers down the stretch as they battle to secure their playoff spot. But he wants to tell his story so that others know they shouldn’t be ashamed of dealing with their mental health. He credits it as an important part of his recovery and eventual return to the pitch.

His advice is simple: never give up. And 426 days later, Dunn’s own perseverance paid off.

“It was very, very emotional. I spoke to the guys, but when I was addressing them, everyone knew what I went through, they knew the ups and downs, the obstacles I faced and the bumps in the road,” Dunn said of his return.

“Once I finally got a chance to suit up and checked into the game, I was probably on the verge of shedding a couple tears because I just thought back to everything I put in. I’m thankful to be back out there and, yeah, it just means the world to me.”