I WISH HE NEVER PLAYED THAT DAY… – Nathan Fitzgerald’s brother has shared the heartbreaking final memory they made together, revealing Nathan was carrying an injury and “probably shouldn’t have played.”
Nathan Fitzgerald’s brother Matthew says he will “cherish” the Socceroos’ World Cup knockout clash against Egypt as his final memory with him.
Nathan died on Monday as a result of horrific brain injuries suffered playing local footy for Epping on Saturday.
He was rushed to hospital in a critical condition and underwent brain surgery on Saturday night before entering end-of-life car
Bravely speaking to 7NEWS on Tuesday, Matthew said it still hasn’t sunk in.
“It doesn’t feel real. Shellshocked. Devastated. It doesn’t feel real,” he said.
“It comes and goes, thinking he’s here, then I know he’s not here. It’s a rollercoaster.”
Matthew, Nathan and the brothers’ dad had, like so many Australians around the country, set their alarms early to cheer on the Socceroos on the morning of the accident.
There was nothing Nathan valued more than family, Matthew explained, which made it a special final memory together.
“The last memory I have, I will cherish,” Matthew said.
“That morning, the Saturday morning, we watched the Socceroos play, 4am, we were up for it, and Dad woke up for it too, and Dad never watches soccer — never — but he was up as well.
“So all of us three were together watching it, and seeing Nathan smile — he loved family, and he was so happy in that moment.
“Even after the game, he was expressing to people that, ‘Oh, I watched the game with my brother, Matthew, and Dad — we were together’. He was so happy.
“And then he went to the game that he loves playing. So, he did everything that he loved.
“There are special, special memories that we shared, but that last one, I’ll cherish forever. That one. I’ll never forget it; I can still close my eyes and just imagine it. It’s just real and raw.”
Nathan suffered a head clash with a teammate and recoiled into the synthetic cricket pitch at Lalor Reserve.
Epping’s Northern Football Netball League (NFNL) division three reserves match against Lalor was abandoned as trainers from both clubs and paramedics performed CPR and defibrillation for almost an hour before he was transported to The Royal Melbourne Hospital. The senior game was also abandoned.
Matthew revealed that Nathan had suffered several head knocks before Saturday’s, and that he had been playing through a shoulder injury as well.
“He loved playing footy, and he was battling a sore shoulder, he probably shouldn’t have played,” Matthew explained.
“I would’ve told him to rest, but nah, he wanted to play. If he could move it, he still wanted to play, so he was a tough cookie.
“Mum told us, ‘I’m stressed (about you playing), you haven’t slept’, we were up all night (watching the Socceroos), but (he said), ‘Nah, I can’t let the boys down. I’ve got to play, I’ve got to play for the boys, I don’t want to let them down’.
“He always did it for people, and he loved the footy boys, the footy club.”
The 27-year-old school teacher was loved by his friends, students and, most importantly, his family.
“He was an infectious guy, he had an infectious vibe, always had a smile — big, big smile,” Matthew said.
“He was a bit of a troublemaker, he always got on everyone’s nerves, always kept us on our toes.
“He was the life of the family, and family was everything to Nathan. Everything. He lived and breathed it.
“We all cherish family, but Nathan lived by it. I’ve never known someone just to be so expressive as he was; he used to always say I love you, whether it was to me or to family.
“Any interaction you had with him, at the end, he would always say, ‘I love you’.
“He loved everyone, and he wanted everyone to succeed. He wanted everyone to do well, even if he didn’t like you. That’s who he was.
“All you needed was one interaction with Nathan. One. Even if it was one minute, you would know who Nathan was, and you would be like, ‘Yeah, he’s a special person’.
“Nathan was a bit of a child himself, so his students were able to connect with him a lot.
“They had this connection, he had this gift that not many people have.
“He loved his job, it was what he was supposed to do.”
Matthew said the Fitzgerald family is taking solace in their religious faith, knowing that Nathan remains with them in spirit.
“Life is short but we remain strong in faith,” he said.
“We take comfort in Lord God; he is our strength, he is our pillar. And I just want to say to everyone that’s listening that life is short and we never know when we’re going to step into eternity.”
