Former NRL star Manu Vatuvei has shared what shifted his mindset in prison, saying the experience served as a “wake-up call”.
After a lengthy career with the Warriors, Vatuvei was sentenced in 2022 to three years and seven months in prison after pleading guilty to importing methamphetamine.
He was then released in 2023, 15 months into his sentence.
Speaking to Fox Sports this week, Vatuvei reflected on the experience and how it has changed his life.
He told the Australian outlet: “To have that fall from grace was something that I kind of needed, that wake-up call to overcome a lot of demons inside of me and move forward with my life.”
“Going through everything that I went through and the changes that I have done now, I don’t think it would have happened if I did not go inside.”
He said he was able to think about a lot of things being in the cells 24/7, looking at the walls.
“It made me reflect on my life. It made me reflect on the trauma or whatever you call it, that I was going through, the depression, the hardest times.”
Missed his son's birth
Vatuvei added the birth of his son – which happened while he was in prison – was one event which shifted his mindset.
He shared that he didn’t know his partner had the baby until "I think a week later" when he got his first letter.
“That’s what changed my mind. I wanted to get out and I wanted to do well for my son and guide him the right way.”
Vatuvei also explained the police raid on his home in 2019.
“It was a controlled delivery, so they intercepted a parcel and I think once we opened it, our house was already surrounded. They are busting the door down and we walked out with them.”
He added the “hardest part” was seeing his parents there.
“That is the one thing that I will regret my whole life and still to this day.
“They only told me once what happened and what they saw, and I think that was the end of it. I never asked again, it hurt a lot.”
In the same interview, Vatuvei credited his family for staying consistent through his life.
“My dad was the number one person who always took me to training and made sure I was at training on time.
“My dad used to feed me a lot of pies. Pies for tries,” he laughed.
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