Luke Bateman overcame gambling addiction and suicidal thoughts, moving from NRL player to passionate author and social media personality.
When Luke Bateman was at rock bottom, he was the picture of masculinity: a professional NRL player with a beautiful girlfriend. But Bateman was also battling a gambling addiction that left him in deep debt and self-hatred that saw him cheat on his partner.
Things got so bad he considered suicide.
"I was in the most privileged position in society, living my dream, and I tried to take my own life," Bateman says. "How does that happen?"
Six years later, having left the NRL, undertaken rehab and moved to a farm in remote Queensland, Bateman is starting to find the answers. Today, the 31-year-old is best known for his social media presence on #BookTok, where he enthusiastically shares his passion for reading and writing.