Mr Drysdale, just weeks shy of his 21st birthday, had his neck crushed in a tackle while playing for Cabramatta on June 7.

He suffered a snapped C5 vertebrae and multiple spinal fractures that lodged on his C6, and lies in Royal North Shore Hospital on a respirator, unable to breathe unassisted.

After two bouts of risky surgery to insert plates and screws in his neck, Kurt's dad Steve said he was making some progress.

"The swelling around his throat went down, and he's a lot more responsive," Mr Drysdale said.

"It's a win today."

Friends of the family have grabbed a fundraising drive and taken it viral, smashing the page's original target of $20,000 within hours. Almost 300 people have donated.

Dan Robberds, a friend and sporting coach of the Drysdale children, said the Illawarra community had taken the fundraiser beyond his wildest hopes.

He has shared the fundraiser far and wide on social media.

"I grew up with the family, and got to know Kurt quite well. It's a horrifying accident. You hear these stories, and never think it could happen to someone you know," he said.

"I'm just trying to help where I can. It's not much, just sitting and sharing it around, but the Helensburgh and football community has got behind it."

Mr Drysdale said the family had been overwhelmed by the support.

"It is probably what's keeping us going, the support from all walks of life. We know what's ahead, years of rehabilitation and recovery, so we would be happy with anything to help," he said.

"It's making us all stronger."

Mr Drysdale, a butcher at Ziem's in Corrimal, said the shop would run sausage sizzles on Saturday mornings for the next few weeks to aid fundraising efforts.

Find the Kurt Drysdale fundraising page at gofundme.com/wvjk5wc.