As thousands mourned Shane Warne at his state memorial service at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), all eyes were on his three children.
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Brooke, 24, Jackson, 22, and Summer, 20, stood together in solidarity as they formally farewelled their father who died earlier this month in Thailand.
They arrived with mother Simone Callahan, who also came to pay her respects more than 15 years after she and Shane split.
Dressed in black and holding back tears, the sporting great’s children paid their respects as a crowd of A-list guests watched on.
As the night came to a close, Shane’s kids took to the stage to the song Summer of ’69 by Bryan Adams to share a final touching farewell to their beloved father.
His youngest, Summer, spoke first: “That song, Summer of ’69, played on Wednesday, March 2, two days before your passing. And the last time I saw my dad. You were coming to pick up your bag you needed for Thailand. And as I opened the door you came inside and had your car door wide open blaring that song. You started dancing and singing with true happiness all around you. With the smile that lit up the whole room. We both started dancing with not a care in the world, and couldn’t stop laughing with each other.
“Looking back on that memory now it is so incredibly special, as the year you were born was 1969 and a verse in that song is, ‘When I look back now, that summer seemed to last forever. And if I had a choice I’d always want to be there. Those were the best days of my life.’ You will always be with us, Dad, just not in the way we had hoped.”
She went on to thank the crowd for their support, before turning to a more personal memory she will always share with her father.
“Even if you were struggling or sad about something dad, you wouldn’t show it. You didn’t want anyone to worry. You put everyone first before yourself because you were such a selfless man. You would reassure me that everything was going to be OK. When I was struggling, and I didn’t know how to go on with life because I was dealing with my own demons, you showed me how I could fall in love with life again. You told me that I could either live with these demons or fight with them and come out stronger at the end. You saved me, Dad. You truly did.”
She continued: “You took pride in every little thing us kids would do because you loved us with your whole heart. You truly did have a golden heart, Dad. Your endless advice is something I’m going to forever miss. You would always know the right thing to say and something that was so special about our relationship is that I could come to you with anything and not feel judged. You would just simply sit there and listen.
“You always wanted to be around us and that is something I took for granted. Thinking that you were always going to be around… I really am going to miss you Dad. It has been exactly 26 days since you went to heaven and I miss you more than anything in the whole world. I would do anything just to have one more you have your cuddles and to hear your voice tell me how proud of me you were and how much you loved me.”
Summer said she’d had to come to terms with the knowledge that her father would never walk her down the aisle or meet his grandchildren, but she would make sure his memory never died.
“You will be someone I will tell my kids about and how much of an amazing father you were to me. How good of a you would have made and how they would have loved and adored you just like I do,” she said.
“I know you will be forever watching me and be by my side the whole timement. I will cherish the 20 years of memories we have and I’m reunited with you again.”
Jackson was second to step up to the podium, recalling all his happiest memories with his father; playing poker, building lego as a child, beating his dad at video games.
“In one of the first games of cricket I ever played, you told me, ‘Just go out there and have fun because when you’re happy, good things will happen.’ So that was the mindset I had for that game. I ended up taking a hat-trick and that’s a memory I will never forget. You were so proud of me. Although I didn’t go down the cricket path, you didn’t mind. You just wanted the best for me,” he said.
The 22-year-old recalled hours of golfing with his father and said he will always look up to Shane as his hero and he’s so proud to call him dad.
“I’m so happy that I got to spend 22 years of my life with you as my father. I love you so much … I promise to continue to look after Brooke and Summer,” he concluded.
Brooke was last to speak, recalling how she and her father were so similar that it often made them butt heads – but those are memories she’ll cherish forever.
We were both so stubborn and never wanted to back down. We had our differences, but the end of the day, we just wanted to love each other and we did. So much. I wanted the best for Dad and he wanted the best for me. My Dad just wanted to be the best Dad he could be,” she said.
The 24-year-old began to weep as she spoke of her dad’s sweetest moments, his nickname for her – “Brookester” – and the many conversations they had about her future goals.
“I have to come to the fact that my Dad will never get to see me grow up or Jackson or Summer or see us get married one day, have kids and get the promotion I was going for. I could go on forever about what we’re going to miss out on, but nothing would be more upsetting about how much I already miss you, Dad,” she said.
“But what makes me the saddest is, I will never get to wrap my arms around you and give you the biggest hug and rest my chin on your chest. Dad was our shining star in life and now he’s shining down on all of us. We will do you so proud, Dad and we are so proud of everything you have achieved. We’re going to do what you always told us – try our best and we will try our best to live in a world without you. I love you always dad.”
This story originally appeared on our sister site Now To Love.
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