The father of Nathan Fitzgerald, the 27-year-old Melbourne teacher who died after a head clash during a suburban football game, delivered a poignant tribute at a public memorial service on Saturday, stating that the tragedy underscores the fragility of life.
Memorial service at Epping football netball club
The Epping football netball club hosted the service at their home ground, where hundreds gathered to pay their respects. Nathan Fitzgerald suffered critical head injuries while playing for the club in Lalor, in Melbourne’s north, on 4 July and died in hospital two days later.
“We haven’t been blind to the fact so many people have been impacted by the event and the tragic death of Nathan last week,” his father, Gary Fitzgerald, told the crowd. “In a football incident that … from what I understand, hasn’t happened before. And yet, it teaches us a lesson about life – how precious life is, because you just don’t know.”
Club retires jersey number 34
During the memorial, the club retired Nathan Fitzgerald’s No. 34 jersey for Epping’s seniors’ match. “Number 34 – forever Fitzy,” said club chief executive Luke De Vincentis, who hosted the event. De Vincentis remembered Fitzgerald for his courtesy, respect, and enduring smile. “That smile that lights up an entire room, those chompers that you can see from a mile away. He always had that smile on his face and I think forever etched in our memories is that great Fitzy smile, that’s going to help us move forward beyond this dark time.”
Teammates sit out, community support
Nathan’s reserve grade teammates opted not to play that weekend but were welcomed onto the field during the service. De Vincentis highlighted the unity shown during the incident: “One thing that really stood out was how quickly our colours meant absolutely nothing, the teams that we played for meant absolutely nothing and the way everyone came together to support in that incredibly difficult moment was something to commemorate and highlight.”
Other Victorian football clubs are expected to run through banners at matches this round to pay tribute to Fitzgerald. Players at all 18 AFL clubs will wear black armbands, while Melbourne and Richmond will hold a minute’s silence before their game on Sunday.
Details of the incident and safety concerns
Fitzgerald suffered critical head injuries after knocking heads with a teammate while attempting a tackle, according to players. His head then struck a boot or a knee before he landed headfirst on a covered cricket pitch in the centre of the field. The tragic event has raised safety concerns about playing on multi-use fields with covered cricket pitches, and regulator WorkSafe is investigating the incident.
An online fundraising effort to support his family had raised more than $145,000 from 2,200 donations as of Friday afternoon.
