The South Sydney Rabbitohs are mourning the passing of a brave young supporter, Hayden Alexander, who passed away last Friday 15 March at his home in Maroubra.
Hayden was suffering from Duchene Muscular Dystrophy, a genetic disorder charactised by progressive muscle degeneration and weakness.
Hayden was a fighter, showing the South Sydney fighting spirit right to the end of his life. With a life expectancy not expected to extend past his teenage years, Hayden passed away last week at the age of 25, having built a strong bond with the players and staff at the Rabbitohs over a number of years.
As a 16-year-old, Hayden would attend training sessions at Redfern Oval to support the players who in turn would support him. He became a staple of the crew that would attend training, so much so that former Rabbitohs strength and conditioning coach, Sean Edwards, presented Hayden with his 2014 premiership ring for his unwavering support.
Hayden would continue to show his support for the team, attending training and home games in his wheelchair, which became much easier for him when the team shifted its base to the USANA Rabbitohs Centre in Maroubra.
Hayden’s broad and infectious smile brought joy to the players he befriended over the years including Latrell Mitchell, Cody Walker, Adam Reynolds, Sam Burgess and Blake Taaffe.
The Rabbitohs will miss Hayden’s presence at training and his undying support for the Club and the team.
On behalf of everyone connected to the Rabbitohs, we offer our deepest and most sincere condolences to the family and friends of Hayden Alexander.
If you would like to contribute to the Hayden Alexander Memorial Fund to assist with his funeral costs, please click here
