World snooker champion Kyren Wilson plans to use his £500,000 prize money to purchase a property in Portugal as a heartfelt gift for his father, who suffers from Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The warm climate in Portugal is expected to significantly improve his father’s quality of life. Wilson, who recently triumphed at the Crucible, hopes this move will provide comfort and better living conditions for his dad.
Wilson’s 18-14 victory over Jak Jones in the Sheffield showpiece netted the 32-year-old a whopping £500,000, with his Welsh opponent offered a consolation prize of £200,000. And Wilson has already opened up on his plans to splash the cash, with a holiday home in the Portuguese sunshine firmly in his sights.
Wilson’s father Rob has had MS for the majority of Kyren’s adult life and been a source of inspiration during his Crucible win, which was celebrated by their family as Wilson Jnr’s sons promptly joined him at the table before his father broke into tears of joy after getting over the line.
MS is an incurable, lifelong condition, that is caused by the immune system mistakenly attacking the brain and nerves, with more than 150,000 people in the UK afflicted.
Family clearly means a great deal to snooker’s new leading man, who opened up on his plans to purchase property in Portugal and eventually retire there with his father. “Something I’ve always said and always wanted to do was retire eventually out to Portugal,” he told The Sun.
It’s the place that I love. And with my dad’s health, it’d be great to have a permanent property where he can book a flight and head out to the sunshine when he needs it.
“Hopefully there might be a holiday home on the horizon. He’s like my dad when he’s in the sunshine – happy, a feelgood factor, a bit of Vitamin D. In and out of the pool, it helps his bones and movements.”
