Sad family twist after heartbreaking Andrew Symonds tragedy
Prior to the tragic death of beloved Australia cricketer Andrew Symonds last week, he and his wife Laura Vidmar had reportedly been separated for over a year.
The 46-year-old Symonds died last weekend when his ute rolled down an embankment located roughly 50 kilometres from Townsville.
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His death left cricket fans across the world in shock and sparked a flood of heartfelt tributes, with a private funeral to be followed by a public memorial for Symonds, entitled 'Celebrating Roy' at the Riverway Stadium in Townsville next Friday.
According to the Daily Telegraph, Symonds and Vidmar separated around Christmas in 2020, with the former remaining in Townsville while Vidmar relocated with their children to Sydney's North Shore.
Vidmar delivered a touching tribute to Symonds after flying to Townsville with the pair's children after learning of the cricketing legend's death.
“We are still in shock – I’m just thinking of the two kids," she said last weekend.
“He was such a big person and there is just so much of him in his kids.’
“He was the most laid back person. Nothing stressed him out. He was an extremely chilled operator. So practical.
“He was never good with his phone but he always had time for everyone.’’
Vidmar was Symonds' second wife, with the pair marrying in 2014 a year after the birth of their first child, having originally begun dating back in 2009.
She said Symonds' gentle intellect was a much underrated aspect of his personality, and a big reason for his widespread popularity.
“He always felt extremely self-conscious about his intellect and would say ‘I didn’t go to Uni and don’t have degrees’ but he was so practical and really intelligent in his own way,’’ she said.
Tributes continue as world reacts to death of cricketer Andrew Symonds
Cricket fans were encouraged to leave fishing rods and cricket balls outside the front of their house as part of a nation-wide tribute for the 46-year-old in the wake of his shock death last weekend.
His love of fishing was the stuff of folklore, with Symonds even sent home from an ODI series against Bangladesh in 2008 after missing a team meeting in Darwin so he could hit the water.
Symonds had even been willing to accept a 20 per cent pay cut from his Cricket Australia contract if it meant he would be granted more free time to go fishing.
New details emerged on Sunday of the crash that claimed the life of Symonds.
Waylon Townson tried to save Symonds after hearing the crash and rushing to the scene.
"He was stuck in there, so I tried to pull him out," Townson told the Nine Network.
"(I) started doing CPR and checked his pulse but I didn't get much response."
Symonds was travelling with his two dogs, and they reportedly didn't want to leave his side after the crash.
Adam Gilchrist choked back tears when paying tribute to Symonds on Monday during his SEN radio show.
Justin Langer, who played alongside Symonds in the Test team, joined Gilchrist and former coach Darren Lehmann to reminisce about their good friend.
"I loved him so much," Langer said.
"The great thing about Simmo in our environment was he was the great bull**** barometer.
"In the Australian team there would be some big egos. He would pull everyone into line.
"It wouldn't be through great speeches or anything, he would just look at you or pull you aside and say, 'Gentleman, enough of that son'.
"He was a great stabiliser in any team, because he was so real.
"Like Rod Marsh, he was so real, and that's why he was such an extraordinary person who we loved so much."
With AAP
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