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Olympic champion inducted to Sport Australia Hall of Fame

Olympic gold medallist Sally Pearson and surfing legend Mick Fanning have joined the most elite group of Australian sportspeople, after being inducted to the Sport Australia Hall of Fame (SAHOF). Pearson is one of only nine Australian women to win an Olympic track and field gold medal, winning her first gold in London 2012. She won a silver medal in 2008 for the 100m hurdles, and has World Championship success in 2011 and 2017. She is also the first Australian to be named World Athlete of the year, and won the SAHOF’s “The Don” Award twice. Pearson said it was “surreal” to be included in such esteemed company, including the likes of Cathy Freeman, her childhood hero. “I don’t think it’s really sunk in. It’s so surreal. It feels like it just happens to people you see on TV,” she said. “I still feel like I’m watching the Sydney Olympics and watching Cathy Freeman run. When Steve Hooker won gold in Beijing I was sitting on the sidelines. “Even though I won silver, I was thinking, this is really cool. I’m watching this person, this athlete, just doing amazing things. It’s a bizarre feeling that I’m one of those people now.” Surfing legend Mick Fanning, who is already a member of the World Surfers’ Hall of Fame and Australian Surfing Hall of Fame and said he was pretty “flabbergasted” to be elevated into the SAHOF. “Australia produces so many incredible sporting stars and to be honoured as one of those, among the greats, I’m pretty flabbergasted, to be honest,” he said. “It’s not something that we ever look for when we’re doing our sport, but to be acknowledged later in life is very special and I’m very honoured to be able to share it with people who have supported me. “I wasn’t the most talented person, I wasn’t the most gifted, I didn’t have the most money or anything like that, but I just gave it my all.’’ Fanning enters as a three-time world champion for surfing. Motorsport great Mark Skaife, former Kookaburras’ captain Mark Knowles, lawn bowls trailblazer Karen Murphy and dual-sport Paralympics champion Liesl Tesch are some of the other 2024 inductees. Image: Colorsport/ Shutterstock Editorial

Body

Quirky grandfather shocks Today hosts with unusual funeral plans

Michael 'Skip' Field has decided he doesn't want his family crying for him at an ordinary funeral when he dies. Instead, the quirky Queensland grandfather wants a celebration for his final send off and wants his family to remember him in a very unique way. Skip shared his funeral plans with Today hosts Sarah and Alex, who were perplexed by Skip's plans for his final send-off. "I've been to a lot of funerals over the years, I'm an old fart and I never enjoyed any of them," Skip said. "So come the time I turn toes up, they're going to cart me off to the crematorium for a big barbecue, where I'll be the guest of honour, then when the heat dies down, they're going to put me in a little shoe box and give my young son a ring," he said. "He'll come and pick me up and I'm an avid cowboy shooter, we load our own ammunition and one of the things that happens to cowboys when they pass on is they have a cowboy salute where you get a big, long line and everybody fires a shotgun, bang, bang, bang, bang, and have a salute." "Well, I'm going to get my ashes mixed into the shotgun shells and donate the shotgun shells to the range and they can shoot me off down the range." "Plus all the smoke that comes out at the end of the barrel is a bit blue, but being a Queenslander, I've got a bit of maroon chalk that's going to go in with the ashes, so when they come out at the end of the barrel it's going to be a maroon tinge on it," he said. Today hosts Sarah and Alex were gob-smacked by the idea of Skip donating his ash-filled bullets to the local firing range, but that's not all he has planned. "The other thing is a friend of mine's got a cannon and we're going to shoot part of the ashes out of the cannon at Pleasant Range near Dalby," he said. "Then the kids don't need a big, morbid ceremony, so they're going to have a party here at my house and I bought this thing called the 'loved one launcher' that is like a giant party popper, you put your ashes in and it'll shoot you 75 yards into the air with confetti and streamers and all that - Yeehaw! It's going to be great." Skip said the whole process cost less than getting a casket for the ground and it would be the last big thing he gets a say in. Image credits: Today

Retirement Life

From lettuce fields to opera stages – the brilliant journey of Helen Sherman

How does a young girl growing up on a lettuce farm in rural New South Wales, surrounded by the quiet rustle of leaves and the hum of daily farm life, go on to become such a powerful voice on the operatic scene? This is the unlikely beginning of Helen Sherman, the Australian-British mezzo-soprano who has taken the world of opera by storm. Sherman’s musical journey began at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where her extraordinary voice started to attract attention. It wasn't long before her ambition led her to the prestigious Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) in the UK. There, she honed her craft, setting the stage for a remarkable career that would see her representing Australia at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition and the Francisco Viñas International Singing Competition. Sherman's rise to operatic fame has been nothing short of meteoric. Her versatility and talent have seen her perform a wide range of roles across the globe. Recent highlights include Flora in La traviata at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier and Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro with Opera North. Her portrayal of Tamiri in Farnace with Pinchgut Opera and Dorabella in Così fan tutte at Teatru Manoel in Malta further cemented her reputation as a mezzo-soprano of extraordinary range and depth. One of Sherman’s standout performances was her interpretation of the title role in Carmen with the State Opera South Australia. Her embodiment of Carmen’s fiery spirit and complex emotions captivated audiences and critics alike. Equally compelling was her portrayal of Giulio Cesare with Bury Court Opera, a role that showcased her ability to navigate the demanding vocal and dramatic challenges of baroque opera. In 2024, Sherman’s calendar is as busy as ever, as she will be singing Dorabella in Così fan tutte and Mistress of the Novices in Suor Angelica for Opera Australia, roles that promise to highlight her versatility and emotional depth. <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Over60 was lucky enough to be able to interview Sherman in the lead-up to her Sydney performances of <a href="https://opera.org.au/productions/il-trittico-sydney/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Il Trittico</a> and <a href="https://opera.org.au/productions/cosi-fan-tutte-sydney/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Così fan tutte</a>: O60: How did you become an opera singer after growing up on a lettuce farm in rural NSW? “It was quite a journey. My father was an incredible piano accordionist (think Flight of the Bumblebee, Malagueña etc). In the 1970s his teaching studio in Bathurst peaked at about 40 accordion students, which I think is quite remarkable. After his father died, Dad stepped back from his teaching to take over the family farm, though he still plays to this day. “My mother is a music lover, and wanted her children to have the opportunity to explore creative outlets that she wasn't fortunate enough to explore in her youth, so my brother, sister and I all had lessons in piano accordion, piano, dancing, drama and singing. We were fortunate to live in a town that had many thriving arts organisations, such as the Dolly McKinnon School of Dance, Bathurst Eisteddfod Society and Mitchell Conservatorium of Music. “Bathurst's Carillon Theatrical Society (for which my dad's cousin, the late, great, Carole Eastment, was choreographer) afforded us the opportunity to be part of full-scale classic musical productions. I was also fortunate to attend MacKillop College, a local Catholic high school of humble proportions, that had a very passionate and resourceful music teacher, Mr David Eyles. Thanks to him, students like me were able to star in wittily re-written and orchestrated G&S productions. With such a plethora of opportunities at my feet, my love of the stage was pretty much pre-determined. “Upon graduating high school, aged seventeen, I moved to Sydney to take up a place at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where I completed a Bachelor of Music and a post graduate diploma in opera. At this stage, I wasn't really in love with opera, that came later, when I found myself covering third novice in OA's 2007 production of Suor Angelica. “During the last studio run of the show, mere metres away from me, star soprano Cheryl Barker was singing the final solo notes of the title role: ‘Madonna! Madonna! Salva me! Salva me!’, tears streaming down her face, and the most incredible voice soaring out; I had chills all over my body and in my soul, and I have loved opera ever since.” O60: You were based in London for years; how did you find the opera world overseas versus in Australia – in both your studies and performing? “I guess the main differences are that the UK scene is a bigger one with more companies and more music schools; a more international one, that students and professionals from around the world flock to, and one with – historically – more financial backing and patronage. However, the scene in the UK has suffered dramatically in the last few years, particularly with the effects of Brexit compounded by COVID, cost-of-living crisis and embarrassingly ignorant cuts made by the Arts Council. “Generally, abroad, there are many more opportunities for musicians, but many, many more musicians competing for them. It is an awe-inspiring thing to meet and work with musical idols like Roger Vignols, Julius Drake, Yvonne Kenny etcetera, to sing a piece of music in the venue in which it premiered or was composed for; to tread the same cobblestones that the likes of Mozart and Handel trod and to delight in the discovery that the shoes or trousers you're wearing in a production bear the name of the likes of Dame Sarah Connolly.” “However, I would say that there is plenty of exciting stuff going on in Australia and an optimism and openness in the Australian people, which is impactful on our industry and its creative output. “More needs to be done in our country to insure all children are given creative learning outlets for the benefit of their development, their communities and for the future of our industry.” O60: Why did you return to Sydney and how are you enjoying it? Any future plans to head back overseas? “After a health scare in 2022 that forced me to cancel all my work, my husband received a job offer to relocate to Sydney. It felt like the universe was opening a door for us, so we gladly walked through it, and onto a flight to Sydney in mid 2023. I have felt welcomed (back!) with open arms both personally and professionally and I have no imminent plans to return abroad, at this stage.” O60: You’ve appeared in many staged productions as well as concerts. What do you like about these two types of performances? “Concert performances are a chance to home in on the music and the words without worrying about physical action. Staged productions afford the performer the luxury of inhabiting and exploring a character, physically, right down to their shoes and petticoats. Both are wonderful ways of working and some works naturally lend themselves to one or the other – though, I think for opera, context is key, and can be a challenge to properly manufacture on the concert platform.” O60: Tell us about your two characters and how do you prepare for performing two roles in different operas in the same season? “I've been playing the role of Mistress of Novices in Suor Angelica and am currently preparing the role of Dorabella in Così fan Tutte. One is a senior nun and the other an excitable teenage girl, so they are rather disparate. “The big challenge is in the early days of learning and memorising the role. Once you have a grasp of the music, the libretto and who you are, it's about showing up and reacting to your world. Preparing disparate roles concurrently can be a vocal challenge, since tessitura and vocal gesture have a big impact on how one might approach a score. I like to keep in touch, daily, with technical exercises that encourage economy and flexibility in my voice, especially when I'm working on contrasting roles. Thankfully, the human voice is a very sensitive instrument and responds intuitively to intention and emotion, so developing the character arc and subtext helps a lot with that. O60: What should audiences be watching and/or listening out for Il Trittico versus in Così fan tutte? “There's so much to enjoy so let it wash over you in broad, beautiful, very human brushstrokes!! Or, if you love little details, in Il Trittico see if you can spot which singers appear in all three operas and watch out for Frugola's bag of strange objects in Il Tabarro. You'll learn a lot from the body language and small glances between characters in the world of Suor Angelica, and in Gianni Schicchi, well, I am told there is a very interesting door stop! “In Così fan Tutte, listen out for the way Mozart creates subtext for his characters; tiny details, like Dorabella needing to sing a third higher than Fiordiligi (because she is the competitive younger sister!) when emotionally fraught in some of their act one recitatives! Mozart is a genius of musical detail!” O60: Do you have any dream roles you’re yet to perform? “There are too many to list, but I adore the role of Octavian in der Rosenkavalier by Strauss (a role I have sung, but would love to revisit) and I would love to sing Ariodante by Händel.” --- <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px;">Click here for more information on <a href="https://opera.org.au/productions/il-trittico-sydney/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Il Trittico</a> and <a href="https://opera.org.au/productions/cosi-fan-tutte-sydney/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Così fan tutte</a>.

Music

Meg Ryan is back after a "giant break"

Meg Ryan is back and she has spilled it all, ahead of her first rom-com release in nearly 15 years. In an interview with People Magazine, the When Harry Met Sally star revealed the reason why she took a step back from her career. "I took a giant break because I felt like there's just so many other parts of my experience as a human being I wanted to develop," she told the outlet. "It's nice to think of it as a job and not a lifestyle. And that is a great way of navigating it for me." The 61-year-old also shared the inspiration behind her first rom-com What Happens Later, which she directed, wrote and starred in. "It came to me during lockdown," she gushed. "The essence of it is these two people who are stuck together. I just love that idea that we're held in a space, even if it feels conflicted, maybe for reasons that heal them." This is the first rom-com that she has acted in for over a decade, with her last film in that genre being Serious Moonlight back in 2009. In another another conversation with Interview magazine's Carol Burnett, she opened up about the process of making her film. "Truly, the easiest part was acting in it," she told the publication. "I want to direct again just so I can sit in the chair, because I’m sure there’s a lot of things I missed." "I hadn’t done a role in a really long time, but it was fun with David," she added, referring to co-star David Duchovny, known for his role as Fox Mulder in The X Files. "A lot of it was done in two shots. I’m proud of that. I set up everything beforehand so that once we were there, it was just David and I trying to tell the truth." She revealed that the film was assembled together with a very "deliberate" process and a budget of only $3 million. "We had to do it really quickly. A lot of those extras weren’t even ours, they were real people," she said. "We went back in post and made everybody the same palette. There’s a lot of stuff you can do digitally now, thank god." The actress first shot to fame in 1980 for her girl-next-door image, after playing the love interest in iconic films like the original Top Gun and When Harry Met Sally. Images: Getty Images/ Edward Berthelot/WireImage

Movies

Princess Diana’s twin nieces' major announcement

Lady Amelia and Lady Eliza Spencer have announced that Australia’s most prestigious race wear event, Fashions on the Field will go global for the first time ever. The competition will be open to international fashion-lovers as they will be accepting digital entries, with a new category allowing them to compete for the Best Dressed and Best Suited awards. The international winners will then be flown to Flemington during Cup Week to experience the glitz and glam of the races, and compete in person during the live final against Australian state and territory finalists on Thursday November 9. Princess Diana's twin nieces championed the prospects of international entries to the prestigious event and worked together with the Lexus Melbourne Cup trophy to make it a reality. "Racewear fashion really is its own fashion category and I know there will be some amazing international entries for the Melbourne Cup Carnival Fashions on the Field competition," Lady Eliza said. "It was great to discover some wonderful Australian labels at our Melbourne Cup Carnival Fashions on the Field shoot in London and I can't wait to see the style and creativity of entrants this year," Lady Amelia added. Victoria Race Club Chairman Neil Wilson also shared his excitement for opening up the event to internationals. "Fashion is a universally appreciated expression of people's individual style and we look forward to racing enthusiasts across the globe showcasing their unique take on race wear on track at Flemington or virtually, which will include the new international competition for the first time," he said. Image: Victoria Racing Club

Beauty & Style

Billy Crystal recreates iconic Harry look

Get ready for a trip down memory lane as Billy Crystal has recreated his iconic sweater moment from When Harry Met Sally to celebrate his 75th birthday. Crystal shared a picture in the timeless knitted pullover on Twitter, sparking nostalgia and pure joy among his fans. In the tribute tweet, Crystal is crouching down in white sneakers, jeans and a preppy cream cable-knit pullover; although not exactly the same style seen in the iconic rom-com, it certainly got the nostalgia flowing. “Thank you all…,” he captioned the snaps, in tribute to his character from the 1989 film, Harry Burns. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Thank you all.. <a href="https://t.co/EySEYTBJMc">pic.twitter.com/EySEYTBJMc</a> — Billy Crystal (@BillyCrystal) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillyCrystal/status/1635673188519796737?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2023</a></blockquote> The post even caught the attention of the official Merriam-Webster Dictionary Twitter account, they tweeted, “Icon | noun | a person or thing widely admired especially for having great influence or significance in a particular sweater.” Actor Richard Lewis joined in, writing, “Finally, you’re my age. You’re a blessed artist. I’m proud to have started our comedic journey together.” Devoted fans shared their own takes on the sweater, with various people wearing cable knits and cosplaying as Harry Burns. The star shared some of his favourite recreations with his 738,000 followers on Twitter. Norah Ephron, the writer of the classic 80s film, has long inspired fashion in her films, with many people embracing “Nora Ephron fall” in 2022. Dressing as an Ephron-approved character calls for linen shirts, tweed blazers, sneakers, and of course, cosy knits. Three decades after the icon movie’s release, Crystal still has Ephron dressing down to a tee. Image credit: Twitter

Relationships

"So proud": Blue Wiggle's daughter joins the cast

The daughter of Blue Wiggle Anthony Field has shared she has joined the children's entertainment group as a dancer. Lucia Field, 17, made the announcement on her TikTok account, as she shared a throwback picture of her and her famous dad with Dorothy the Dinosaur. She wrote, "I never would've believed you if 16 years ago you told me I'd be here." She then shared a photo of her in a blue skivvy dancing in front of the giant Wiggles logo. The video, which was posted on the offical Wiggles account, was flooded with comments of people cheering on the new dance member. <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 610px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7132666717473344769&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40thewiggles%2Fvideo%2F7132666717473344769%3Fis_copy_url%3D1%26is_from_webapp%3Dv1%26lang%3Den&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> Anthony also commented, saying he was "so proud" of his daughter. Lucia graduated from high school in December last year, with her excited father sharing a photo to Instagram of them together at her formal. In addition to Lucia, Anthony is father to daughter Marie, 16, and son Antonio, 14, whom he shares with his wife of 18 years, Michaela Patisteas. Anthony joined The Wiggles in 1979 alongside retired members Murray Cook, Greg Page and Jeff Fatt. The trio were replaced by 'Yellow Wiggle' Emma Watkins, who left the group in October last year, 'Purple Wiggle' Lachlan Gillespie and 'Red Wiggle' Simon Pryce. Image credits: TikTok

Family & Pets

5 minutes with author Sally Piper

In the Over60 “5 Minutes With” series, we ask book writers about their literary habits and preferences. Next up is Sally Piper who is debuting her third book, Bone Memories. Piper worked as a nurse and nurse educator, specialising in neurosurgical critical care and decided to use her experience in people’s vulnerabilities to write her books. With Bone Memories, Piper explores grief, family, murder and media representation of female victims of crime. Bone Memories is out now and can be purchased <a href="https://www.uqp.com.au/books/bone-memories" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> and enjoy the <a href="https://d3f44jafdqsrtg.cloudfront.net/book-clubs/BookClubNotes_Bone-Memories.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">book club notes</a> with your friends. What inspired you to write Bone Memories? The story grew first from questions I had about how victims and survivors of a crime might memorialise the site where their trauma had occurred. I wondered whether being close to this ground brought people comfort or if proximity to it harmed them further. I wondered what it made their grief look and feel like when they moved across that ground and how that relationship might affect them or change over time. Through the story, I hoped to explore how trauma lives in the body and for some people how it also lives in the land where that trauma occurred; how history and geography for some are inextricably linked. And I wanted to explore how people reconcile this link or what happens if they are unable to. Equally, I often think about the effect that witnessing violence has on children, even if they have little or no memory or understanding of the event. Would they have some innate sense that they had witnessed something terrible? If so, how might this play out as they matured? In writing Bone Memories, I hoped to answer these questions. But as is often the case with any writing project, once you get into it, doors open to other thinking as well. With this story I was once again drawn into what forces impact upon women's safe and free movement through the world (something I explored in my previous novel,<a href="https://www.uqp.com.au/books/the-geography-of-friendship" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> The Geography of Friendship</a>), but this time I looked at it in the way that the media represents female victims of crime; how some crimes against women are reported with a sympathetic narrative, one that elicits intense social empathy, and at other times women are essentially blamed for their own deaths. Where do you get your information or ideas for your books? I read widely and often around obscure topics, which inevitably takes me down rabbit holes of thinking, so ideas I hadn’t previously considered important suddenly become so. This is the best kind of information gathering, because it is unexpected. It is also one of the reasons I never plan my stories, allowing them to evolve organically. And neither do I allow myself to know the ending of a novel. Because if I get surprises along the way, then it is my hope that readers will too. How do you deal with writer’s block? Writer’s block is a phrase I won’t use in relation to my writing practise. It sounds too much like a disease that I’m at risk of ‘catching’. When I’m struggling to start or progress a work it is usually because I haven’t thought enough about what it is I want to say. Or as Jonathan Franzen puts it: ‘the blank page in the mind has to be filled before you have the courage to face the actual blank page.’ Which is to say, think first, write later. If I get stuck, I go back to the original questions I began the story with: What do I want this story to say? What are the themes and issues I want it to address? Who are the stakeholders? Not being able to find the words is often because I have lost sight of the answers, or I need to ask myself new or better questions. There is also something else that can stop a work in its tracks, which masquerades as writer’s block: procrastination. But procrastination is a defence mechanism, another word for fear or a lack of self-belief. It protects us from criticism. It keeps us safe from failure. It saves us digging deeply into the personal stuff of what we’re writing about, which is often the place where the gold is found. The solution then is to find courage, trust yourself and persevere. What is your work schedule like when you're writing? When working on a new project, I write most days, mainly in the morning. The afternoon is usually spent editing that morning’s work, often after a bushwalk, an activity I call writing away from the desk. Once away from the work, I see it through a different lens: an editorial one. I find the rhythm of walking allows for clearer thinking, helped in no small part by fresh air and the calming beauty of the bush. With this clarity I can usually work out what isn’t working in the story, and often why as well, so that I come back with a solution. Sometimes I cut the walk short because I’m excited to get back and make the changes. Do you expect Bone Memories to become a TV series? I think every writer has a secret dream that their story will be reimagined for the screen, and there certainly is more scope for these opportunities now with the rise of streaming services such as Netflix and Stan. When this dream came true for my second novel, The Geography of Friendship, which is to be made into a 6-part TV series by Aquarius Films and Rose Byrne’s Dollhouse Pictures, I was absolutely thrilled to think that the characters in that story would be reimagined in this way. So, it is hard not to hope for the same thing for my third novel, Bone Memories. It is a deeply human, family-centric story with strongly realised characters and a sharp eye for the Australian landscape, so I think it would make an excellent adaptation. But of course, I’m not at all biased! Images: Fiona Muirhead/Supplied

Books

Life support of 12-year-old turned off after devastating accident

The parents of 12-year-old Josh Field have made the heart-breaking decision to switch off their son's life support, after he was left fighting for his life following a devastating accident. They said their "Joshy" would be remembered as a "hero", as the young boy would live on through donating his organs to help others live. Josh suffered catastrophic head injuries when he fell from an unfinished home at a construction site in Maddington, Western Australia, on Monday. The 12-year-old was with his cousins and little brother, who looked on as he fell from a wall and was struck on the head by a metal beam. He was rushed to Perth Children's Hospital with critical injuries and has remained on life support until his family made the difficult decision to say goodbye. “Words can’t even explain it, he’s so much more than anyone can imagine,” older sister Charnte told <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/wa/life-support-to-be-switched-off-for-josh-field-12-after-tragic-maddington-construction-site-fall--c-6761586" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a>. “Even though we’ve lost him, he’s still here, he will still live on." “He’s a hero, he’s donating his heart, his lungs, his kidneys to save others.” Joshy’s older brother Jady said it was hard for it to sink in, adding the family felt “broken”. “It still feels like I’m dreaming,” he told 7News “We’ve lost the most exciting, happy person in our life... he helped us." His family have said that Joshy was a "beautiful soul" who was taken too early by the devastating accident. The family have set up a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/jyrte-joshuas-funeral?utm_source=facebook" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> account to help cover Joshy's funeral costs. Image credits: 7News

Caring

Big news for Golden Girl Sally Pearson

Sally Pearson OAM has announced she is pregnant with her second child. The 35-year-old Olympic athlete revealed their new addition to their family will arrive in August, joining Sally and her husband Kieran, along with their daughter Ruby. Along with the news of her family expanding, Sally is taking on a new role at the <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/qld/sally-pearson-joins-7news-gold-coast-as-sport-presenter-while-expecting-second-child-c-5768287" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a> Gold Coast desk to present sport alongside Amanda Abate and Steve Titmus. “I have loved my time working with Amanda, Steve and the 7News Gold Coast team in various guest roles and I am excited to make this role a permanent one,” Sally said. “As a proud Gold Coast local, I look forward to delivering the best local sporting news to our viewers." “What better way to kick things off than with some headline-making news of my own! Kieran and I are absolutely thrilled to be bringing another little one into the world, as is Ruby, who is already taking the ‘big sister’ role very seriously.” Sally gave birth to Ruby in 2020, after an incredible 16-year sporting career that saw her win a gold medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Undoubtedly one of Australia’s greatest Olympians and the fourth fastest hurdler in history, Sally was later awarded the Order of Australia Medal for her contribution to sport. In the wake of her big news, Director 7News Brisbane and Gold Coast, Neil Warren, said, “Firstly, a big congratulations to Sally on her baby announcement. What wonderful news. Sally will be a great addition to our strong Gold Coast team, joining Amanda Abate, Steve Titmus and Paul Burt on the local news at 5.30pm." “I’ve got great confidence in Sally, who displayed unbreakable drive and determination as an Olympian, and she’s already showing those same characteristics with us.” Image credits: Getty Images

Family & Pets

Rebel Wilson teases "playing the field" amid relationship rumours

Rebel Wilson has shared a cheeky post with her Instagram followers amid new romance rumours between the actress and tennis star Matt Reid. The 41-year-old shared a series of snaps from the Los Angeles Rams NFL game in California on Tuesday, and she captioned the pics, "I don't normally 'play the field' buuuut yesterday was different.""The biggest congratulations to [Rams] for making it to the Super Bowl! I'm such a proud ambassador!"<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF;border: 0;border-radius: 3px;margin: 1px;max-width: 540px;min-width: 326px;padding: 0;width: calc(100% - 2px)" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZZzqyDJIXb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"><div style="padding: 16px"><div style="flex-direction: row;align-items: center"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 40px;margin-right: 14px;width: 40px"> </div><div style="flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 100px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 60px"> </div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0"> </div><div style="height: 50px;margin: 0 auto 12px;width: 50px"> </div><div style="padding-top: 8px"><div style="color: #3897f0;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;font-style: normal;font-weight: 550;line-height: 18px">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0"> </div><div style="flex-direction: row;margin-bottom: 14px;align-items: center"><div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px;flex-grow: 0;margin-right: 14px;margin-left: 2px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px"> </div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 20px;width: 20px"> </div><div style="width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 2px solid transparent;border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom: 2px solid transparent"> </div></div><div style="margin-left: auto"><div style="width: 0px;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right: 8px solid transparent"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;flex-grow: 0;height: 12px;width: 16px"> </div><div style="width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left: 8px solid transparent"> </div></div></div><div style="flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center;margin-bottom: 24px"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 224px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 144px"> </div></div><a style="color: #c9c8cd;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: 17px;text-decoration: none" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZZzqyDJIXb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Rebel Wilson (@rebelwilson)</a></div></blockquote>Rebel has been rumoured to be dating the 31-year-old Australian tennis star after the pair were seen enjoying a romantic lunch in Sydney on Christmas Eve last year. Rebel and Matt also attended the AACTA Awards together in December 2021, where Rebel was presenting an award. In January 2022, Rebel was spotted with her friend and tennis WAG Brittany Hockley, as the two women watched Matt Reid's tennis game in Sydney.While the actress has yet to confirm the romance, Rebel did hint at having a crush over the Christmas period, writing on social media, "I wish you were wrapped up under my Christmas bush right now."Image credits: Getty Images

Relationships

Designer home comes with its OWN footy field

A designer homestead in the middle of the Western Australian bush has been <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-lifestyle-wa-muckenburra-700170614?cid=content-article:buyers:featured-property" target="_blank">listed</a> for sale, and its expansive 100-acre surroundings comes with its own private football oval. The home, with its “contemporary industrial meets country resort” aesthetic, took its creator five years to construct. “The purpose-built property is a model of the perfect country retreat dreamed up by its owner, who is an architect and university lecturer,” Nick French, of Dethridge Groves Real Estate, <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/news/designer-bush-homestead-on-100-acres-just-outside-perth-comes-with-own-afl-oval/" target="_blank">said</a>. “It’s seamless and all the spaces are huge, which gives a very relaxed flow, and it all sits within a pristine bush setting with no other houses in view.” Along with its three bedrooms and bathrooms, the home boasts oversized entertaining spaces, a library and study, and a courtyard garden and plunge pool belonging to the master suite. The property also comes with a two-storey bunkhouse with two full-sized bedrooms of its own. Despite being only an hour from the city, the property has an isolated feel. “The 100 acres of ever-changing natural bush land has many, many species of flowering natives - including some rare orchids,” Mr French said. Though the natural beauty surrounding the home is a huge bonus, the highlight of the outdoor spaces has to be the quarter-sized AFL oval, along with its own seating for spectators “to take in all the fun”. “There’s also a huge rear entertaining patio with built-in barbeque area and woodfired pizza oven,” Mr French said. With a solar energy system and water tanks capable of storing 90,000 litres, he added that the home also has a 10-star energy rating. “The owners have moved to new employment positions in Victoria and had to sell up both their main home and this holiday home,” Mr French said. “It might not be the place you immediately think of when buying a holiday home or a weekender, but it’s only an hour drive from Perth but is completely secluded on its own huge land holding of diverse, native bushland. “The local town is utterly delightful with a number of historic buildings.” The home is open for inspections by appointment, and Mr French said he is welcoming offers starting at $1.7 million. Images: Realestate.com.au

Real Estate

Blue Wiggle's stunning gesture for late veteran's family

Blue Wiggle Anthony Field has donated all his latest album's royalties to the family of a war veteran who passed away from cancer at age 30. Afghanistan veteran Brendan Nikolajew <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/tragic-update-from-wife-of-terminally-ill-veteran" target="_blank">died</a> on July 29 this year after fighting testicular cancer on-and-off for the past three years. A few weeks prior, the Blue Wiggle <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/veteran-with-terminal-cancer-speechless-after-blue-wiggle-s-kind-act" target="_blank">promised</a> to donate the royalties from the group’s latest album, Lullabies With Love, and has lived up to his word. After giving Mr Nikolajew all of his songwriting credits, the royalties will now go to his wife Leah, and their two young children. “I took my name off all the songwriting and put Brendan’s name instead, and gave him all the royalties and credits,” the musician <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-16/blue-wiggle-donates-aria-nominated-album-to-veterans-family/100620444" target="_blank">said</a>. He said Mr Nikolajew found the situation to be quite amusing. “We had a good laugh about this, because it’s nominated for an ARIA award, so if we win the ARIA that ARIA is going straight to Leah and the family, and we’ll get Brendan’s name engraved on it,” Field explained. “It would be fantastic — I mean, he’s got so many medals from his service and now he might end up with an ARIA too. “He was hoping to still be around for the ARIAs. He was going to take his daughter and son.” Field, a fellow Army veteran, became acquainted with Mr Nikolajew two and half years ago, and described him as “one in a million”. “He’s one of those people you are very lucky to meet in your life,” the 58-year-old said. “I learnt so much from that young man. He taught me how to live and boy, did he teach me how to die.” Just before Mr Nikolajew passed away, Field said the pair spoke about the loss of his niece. “Brendan lost his niece in the lead-up to his death and we had a good talk about it,” Field recalled. “I said to Brendan, ‘What’s going to happen when you pass over?’ “He said, ‘I’m going straight to my little niece’ — that’s the sort of man he was and I know he would be there now, looking after her.” Mr Nikolajew’s status as an ARIA award winner is yet to be determined, with the winners to be announced on November 24. Images: @anthony_wiggle / @brendans.cancer.fight (Instagram)

Music

The best fashion on the Melbourne Cup field

As lockdown restrictions finally ease in Victoria, thousands of eager racing fans flocked to the Flemington racecourse for the annual Melbourne Cup. There was a sea of bright coloured frocks, as everyone took the opportunity to dress up their springtime best. Among those attending the race that stops the nation was songstress and former judge on The Voice Delta Goodrem. Delta wore a show-stopping strapless green jumpsuit, adored with a giant pink bow on her hip and pink hat to match. Delta spoke with <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-10154643/Delta-Goodrem-Jessica-Rowe-tease-glamorous-outfits-ahead-Melbourne-Cup.html">Daily Mail Australia</a>, as she said she was just thrilled to be out of the house again. “And I guess that's a gift to us to know that it's been so tough for all of us these last couple of years, and hopefully this marks a really exciting comeback for all of us.” Also dressing up for the big race were Studio 10 hosts Sarah Harris and Angela Bishop, as Sarah made a bold statement in a one-shoulder red dress with a matching geometric headpiece. Angela Bishop donned a pastel floral dress, with a stand-out gold headpiece to complete the look. Michelle Payne, who became the first and only female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup in 2015, wore a backless turquoise dress, with a tinsel-inspired headdress. Former Miss Universe Australia Olivia Molly Rogers was also in attendance, as her pastel yellow dress and bright red accessories made the perfect spring statement. As James McDonald won the race with his horse Verry Elleegant, all the spectators cheered and roared, some over their winning bets and some to be out in the Victorian sunshine with a glass of bubbly once more. Image credits: Getty Images / Instagram

Beauty & Style

Sally Obermeder rushed to hospital

Former Channel 7 star Sally Obermeder was reportedly rushed to hospital on Tuesday for “very deep” neck and chest burns after spilling coffee on herself. Posting to Instagram on Wednesday afternoon, Obermeder explained what had happened, saying, “Sometimes, things don’t quite go to plan”. The incident took place as she was getting into her car, taking her mask off with one hand and holding her coffee in the other. Something she saw out of the corner of her eye (she’s not sure what it was) shocked her and caused her to jump. The contents of her cup, a “freshly made boiling long black”, spilled onto her throat and chest, immediately burning the skin right off. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUqfRvaBFuz/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUqfRvaBFuz/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by SALLY OBERMEDER (@sallyobermeder)</a> </div> </blockquote> According to Obermeder, an ambulance ended up being called, and she was taken to Royal North Shore Hospital’s emergency department for treatment. She is now resting at home and says that once all of the bandages come off, she’ll know more about ongoing care and next steps with the burns specialist. Obermeder went on to commend frontline healthcare workers, writing, “We are so fortunate to live in a country with such amazing medical help. Forever grateful.” The 48-year-old hosted the afternoon show The Daily Edition on Channel 7 before it was axed in June 2020. The incident calls to mind the famous American lawsuit of Liebeck v McDonald’s Restaurants, in which a 79-year-old woman sued McDonald’s after suffering third-degree burns to her pelvic region after spilling coffee on herself while sitting in the passenger seat of a car. The lawsuit has endured in the popular imagination as an example of overly-litigious Americans, but <a href="https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2016/12/16/13971482/mcdonalds-coffee-lawsuit-stella-liebeck">in actuality</a>, Stella Liebeck didn’t want to go to court. She only wanted McDonald’s to cover her medical costs for serving coffee that they already knew was an unsafe temperature - 87 degrees celsius - due to over 700 reports of customers burning themselves prior to Liebeck’s injury in 1992. Image: Don Arnold/WireImage/Getty Images

Caring

"Dark day": Karl condemns tradies as Melbourne braces for third day of protests

<div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> Today host Karl Stefanovic has weighed in on the violent construction worker protests in Melbourne yesterday where three police officers were hospitalised, calling them “heartbreaking and terribly sad.” "It was a dark day. On the streets of a major city - violence, fury, anarchy," Stefanovic added. "Police (were) forced to deploy smoke bombs, pepper spray and plastic bullets,” he said. Three police officers were hospitalised with minor injuries after a group of tradies protesting in Melbourne against mandatory vaccinations in the construction sector turned violent. Police have announced their tactics today "will be different". Today reporter Christine Ahern was caught up in the chaos and said earlier on the show the crew and herself was "physically threatened on numerous occasions". <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> 2000 protesters charged through Melbourne yesterday, taking over the city for eight hours. Organisers say they won't stop protesting until their demands are met. MORE: <a href="https://t.co/kRDsizvVgX">https://t.co/kRDsizvVgX</a><a href="https://twitter.com/ChristineAhern?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChristineAhern</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/9News?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#9News</a> <a href="https://t.co/Mq5Q8Zha0n">pic.twitter.com/Mq5Q8Zha0n</a> — 9News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb) <a href="https://twitter.com/9NewsMelb/status/1440403029082054662?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 21, 2021</a></blockquote> Thousands of tradies filled the streets of Melbourne in mass protests after the $22 billion construction industry was shut down for two weeks. Anger has been brewing over vaccine mandates, designated break spaces on construction sites being shut down, and the sector’s operation under a 25 per cent worker capacity to meet social distancing requirements. Last week, tradies walked off the job in sporadic strikes, setting up tables and chairs in the middle of streets to take coffee breaks. But the ensuing protests have seen ugly brawls break out with police officers and journalists injured and a dog allegedly kicked. When talking to Waleed Aly on The Project, secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, Sally McManus, said the issue could have been handled better by both the Victorian Government and industry bosses, given there was a lack of communication with workers before restrictions came in to place on their work sites. “Culturally for the construction industry, they had to fight for ages to get lunch rooms and then all of a sudden you turn up one day and you can’t use your lunch room. They are already at 25 per cent, already have the social distancing, et cetera, et cetera,” she said. The union’s Victorian state secretary John Setka said there had been little consultation with the government over Covid measures affecting the industry. “I have never spoken to Daniel Andrews to be honest,” Setka told the Today program on Tuesday. “I have never met him and never spoken to him. I’ve had no discussions with Daniel Andrews ever.” Tradies unlikely alone in views Those watching the chaos outside the CFMEU office were horrified, but experts say the angry boilover is unsurprising. University of Melbourne law professor Joo-Cheong Tham said the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) fundamentally opposes vaccine mandates. Some individual unions are in favour of requiring jabs among their workforces – teachers for example – but Prof Tham said the broader union movement has been “remarkably cohesive in opposing employer mandates”. “Four interlocking principles underpin this position,” he wrote in an article for <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.theconversation.com/" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. “They are (that) high vaccination rates should be attained through encouragement and facilitation, not employer mandates; that where strictly necessary, mandates should be implemented through public health orders; that effective access to vaccines should be secured; and that the voices of workers should be respected.” Image: Today and Twitter </div>

News

The Wiggles’ Anthony Fields drops bombshell revelation

Anthony Field has been the Blue Wiggle for over 30 years, but a bombshell revelation may have us all watching his performances with a closer eye. The star children’s performer admitted he has been miming the whole time. The Wiggles was co-founded in 1991, and Field remains the lost standing member of the original group. However, despite his decades of experience, the star revealed he doesn’t sing like his co-stars Lachlan Gillespie, Simon Pryce and Emma Watkins. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843503/wiggle-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/8bccf6ef391a4b529f117ff5c3105f81" /> “I never sing. For years, I’ve mimed,” he told Nova’s Fitzy & Wippa. “Believe it or not, I mimed Simon’s (baritone-style) voice for years. “I have this low voice and people would ask me to sing in public and they’d be very disappointed.” Field, who is also known for his guitar skills, joked his admission was like the Milli Vanilli 1989 scandal when the RnB duo was caught lip-syncing after a technical glitch during a live show. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843504/wiggle-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f01272e7122c49fba28df5b3475f6ac6" /> Field came on the show after the announcement that four new members - Tsehay Hawkins, Evie Ferris, John Pearce, and Kelly Hamilton - would be joining the group. The expanded line-up was announced on Sunday for a new YouTube exclusive - Fruit Salad TV. “Fruit Salad TV seeks to inspire a diverse audience with its gender balanced and diverse cast,” the group said. “The Wiggles aim to motivate the child viewer to sing, dance and be active participants in the story of the day.” <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CS2qb0INHez/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CS2qb0INHez/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by The Wiggles (@thewiggles)</a> </div> </blockquote> The new members will don the same coloured skivvies as the other members of the band. Kelly will wear yellow, John is in purple, Tsehay dresses in red and Evie is in blue.

Music

Tragic update from wife of terminally ill veteran

A Queensland man whose battle with terminal cancer saw Wiggles star Anthony Field commit <a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/veteran-with-terminal-cancer-speechless-after-blue-wiggle-s-kind-act" target="_blank">an act of kindness</a> has died at the age of 30. Brendan Nikolajew, an army veteran who served in Afghanistan, had been fighting cancer on-and-off for more than three years after a small lump was discovered on one of his testicles. He was recently given the devastating news that he had weeks to live and on Tuesday, his wife Leah shared a tragic update. “To all our beautiful friends and family, it breaks my heart to let you all know that my beautiful husband passed away peacefully yesterday afternoon,” she wrote on Instagram. “I held him close and lay next to him until his last breath. I made sure he knew how loved he was by everyone who knew him. “The last few days of his life were extremely hard for him as he struggled to breathe and was quite confused, he fought right to the end and did not want to leave but eventually made the decision to finally be at peace and watch us from the stars.” <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CRzjAkAhR1v/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CRzjAkAhR1v/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Brendan Nikolajew (@brendans.cancer.fight)</a> </div> </blockquote> Leah said her “little family” were “absolutely broken” after his passing and “still can’t imagine how we are going to continue on in this life without our sun and moon and our rock”. “He lived life to the fullest and loved the people around so bloody hard and I am proud to be his wife,” Leah continued. “I hope we can all keep his memory alive by never giving up and living our life with Brendan’s ferocity and passion. “Thank you all for the beautiful kind messages of love.” Blue Wiggle Anthony Field, who previously pledged to donate the royalties from the group’s new album to Brendan’s wife and children, shared his own tribute to Brendan. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Rest In Peace Brendan. <a href="https://t.co/pak9Uf79dH">pic.twitter.com/pak9Uf79dH</a> — Anthony Field (@Anthony_Wiggle) <a href="https://twitter.com/Anthony_Wiggle/status/1419777483537215490?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2021</a></blockquote> “Rest in Peace Brendan,” he wrote on Twitter, sharing a photo of the veteran with his family. Image: brendans.cancer.fight / Instagram

Caring

Veteran with terminal cancer speechless after Blue Wiggle’s kind act

A Queensland army veteran has been left lost for words after finding out about how one of Australia’s biggest music stars plans to set his young family up for life. Wiggles member Anthony Field has pledged to donate the royalties from the group’s new album, Lullabies With Love, to Brendan Nikolajew’s wife and children. Nikolajew is in palliative care as he combats late-stage terminal cancer at home in Moreton Bay. “I never thought that I’d be receiving support and admiration from such a legend,” Nikolajew said of Field’s kind act on Instagram on Tuesday. “Anthony has given so much and it’s too humbling. “For this to be put into words is the hardest part … Just a massive thanks to everyone involved!” The 30-year-old war veteran, who served in Afghanistan, has been battling cancer for more than three years after a small lump was found on one of his testicles. After treatment of the lump, his cancer returned in November last year and was found in other areas of his body. Despite undergoing immediate chemotherapy treatment, he was recently given the terminal diagnosis and is making himself as comfortable as possible at home. His friend, Matthew James, spoke to 7NEWS in July, describing Nikolajew as “a positive guy”. “He’s the guy in the group who would try to pick you up if you were feeling down,” James said. “He’s definitely the most genuine bloke you could meet. “For the past three or so years he’s been really going through it, it’s never really sunk in. “He’s always been a positive guy. It’s kind of really starting to hit home. It’s a really rough time.” Field, the blue Wiggle who started the beloved children’s group in the 1990s, also served in the military. His gesture will be set to benefit Nikolajew’s wife Leah, their four-year-old daughter Georgie, and their two-year-old son Roman. More than $12000 has also been raised through a GoFundMe for the family. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ9SMwzhuxc/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ9SMwzhuxc/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Brendan Nikolajew (@brendans.cancer.fight)</a> </div> </blockquote> “These two and my wife, are the reasons I fight/fought so hard, so long and gave whatever it took,” Nikolajew said on Instagram recently. “I also lived my bloody life, which I’m proud of.” Image: Brendan Nikolajew / Instagram

Caring

Sally Pearson strikes gold again after offloading Gold Coast home

Olympian Sally Pearson has sold her Gold Coast mansion for $950,000. The Gold Coast Bulletin reported that she and her husband made a clean profit off the newly renovated pad, after originally buying it for $710,000 in 2019. The single-storey home features four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a two-car garage. Additionally, the home has an extra bit of space with a detached office or studio space. Wooden floorboards, a grey stone kitchen, and a modern grey and white bathroom adorn the home along with an immaculate garden, with a large grassy area that is perfect for families and pets. Sally is one of Australia's greatest athletes. The champion hurdler retired back in August 2019 due to injury but her achievements will last for a lifetime. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841087/daily-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/fa0e49ae38fd44bc8452448673594b4e" /> At the time, she told The Sunday Mail that she had cried over her decision to retire and would be seeing a psychologist to deal with the heartache. “Even now it's done and out in the open, I don't know if I feel any better for it. I feel maybe some sense of relief but still I feel like I've got a long way to go before I feel comfortable with what I'm doing,” she said In July last year, she and her high school sweetheart Kieran welcomed their first child together, a daughter named Rudy Elizabeth. Image: Instagram

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