The bereft parents of Shane Warne have visited his ‘really upset’ ex-wife Simone Callahan as the family attempt to process the loss of the legendary cricketer.
Warne’s father Keith and mother Brigette, his brother Jason, and his niece and nephew arrived at Simone’s home in southeast Melbourne on Sunday, two days after they lost the sportsman to a fatal heart attack.
Close friends of the cricketer Aaron Hamill, Steven Baker and Dimitri Mascarenhas also paid the grief-stricken family a visit, looking downcast as they arrived.
The bereft parents of Shane Warne have visited his ‘really upset’ ex-wife Simone Callahan as the family attempt to process the loss of the legendary cricketer (pictured, Keith Warne)
Warne’s father Keith (right) and his brother Jason (left) arrived at Simone Callahan’s southeast Melbourne home on Sunday afternoon
His ex-wife and three children, Jackson, Brooke, Summer are shattered by the cricket great’s death and expect him to ‘just walk through the door any moment’.
It’s been just two days since their father suffered a suspected fatal heart attack while on holiday at the luxury Samujana Villas resort in Thailand.
On Saturday, Keith was seen looking sombre outside his Black Rock property, with his wife Brigette telling reporters: ‘We’re just in shock… we’re ok’.
Warne’s long-time manager James Erskine said the three children were in ‘complete shock’ and are devastated their father will miss their future milestones.
‘One minute the kids are talking to him every day, the next minute they can’t talk to him and they start thinking about he’s not going to be there for my 21st, he’s not going to take me down the aisle,’ he said on Channel 9’s the Today Show.
The cricketer’s ex-wife and mother of his children is also understood to be ‘really upset’ their children will have to readjust to life without their beloved dad.
Close friends of the cricketer Aaron Hamill (right) and Dimitri Mascarenhas (left)
Steven Baker, an Australian Rules footballer and close friend of Warne’s, also visited the home
Warne’s former fiancée Elizabeth Hurley, who he dated for three years, shared a selection of photos of them in happier times to social media.
The actress wrote: ‘I feel like the sun has gone behind a cloud forever. RIP my beloved Lionheart.’
Shane and Elizabeth first got together in late 2010, before he popped the question in September 2011, however they sadly split in 2013.
The Australian cricket superstar turned commentator and businessman, and the greatest leg spinner in history, was found unconscious in his room at the luxury Samujana Villas resort on the island of Koh Samui on Friday.
Thai police said that Warne was staying in the villa with four friends, and when one of the group tried to wake Shane at around 5pm local time he was unresponsive.
Friend Andrew Neophitou desperately tried to revive him by performing CPR for 20 minutes – but Warne couldn’t be saved and later died in hospital.
Warne pictured with his former wife and the mother of his three children, Simone Callahan, in 1995
Warne’s children Brooke, Summer and Jackson are ‘shattered’ by their father’s sudden death
Thai police revealed on Saturday that they found his room splattered with bloodstains from the prolonged CPR but have ruled out foul play.
Two piles of blood were found on the carpet at the foot of Warne’s bed as well as three blood-stained towels, and one pillow, with blood stains also on the mattress.
Ambulance crews also reported a pool of vomit by the bed.
Paramedic Anuch Han-Iam, who was one of the first responders on the scene, said that when he and his colleague arrived at the villa, Warne’s friends were already performing CPR.
‘They were trying to bring him back to life… They were desperate. I think one was crying. Really stressed and panicked,’ he told The Sun.
‘They kept trying to wake him… I heard someone saying ”come on Shane, come on”.’
Mr Han-Iam said there were no women in the room, nor was there ‘anything unusual that made [him] think they’d been partying’.
‘I did my best for him and gave all my energy. I’m so sorry that I couldn’t help him.’
Warne’s long-time manager James Erskine said the three children are in ‘complete shock’ and are devastated their father will miss their future milestones
Paramedic Anuch Han-Iam, who was one of the first responders on the scene, said that when he and his colleague arrived at the villa, Warne’s friends were desperately performing CPR
Thai police said the body must undergo an autopsy to find the cause of death and a report will then be sent to the Australian embassy in Thailand.
‘We just really want to get Shane home,’ Mr Neophitou said after meeting Thai police at Bo Phut Police Station on Saturday.
Thai police lieutenant-colonel Chatchawin Nakmusik said he needed the results of the autopsy to close the case before releasing the body.
‘I am waiting for the autopsy report. If there is nothing suspicious, then the case is closed,’ he told The Guardian.
‘The family will be responsible to take the body back to their home country.’
Pol Maj Gen Satit Polpinit, commander of Surat Thani Provincial Police, said CCTV footage had ruled out any foul play or suspicious circumstances.
Thai police said the body must undergo an autopsy to find the cause of death and a report will then be sent to the Australian embassy (pictured with former fiancee Elizabeth Hurley)
Warne (pictured with his good friend Eddie McGuire and Triple M host Mick Molloy) was going on a fitness kick to get ‘shredded’ at the time of his death
He said the extensive bloodstains at the scene were the result of the prolonged attempts at CPR to try to save the cricket legend’s life.
‘A large amount of blood was found in the room,’ he told Thai newspaper Matichon. ‘When CPR was started, the deceased had coughed up liquid and was bleeding.’
Police also revealed Warne had recently seen a doctor about chest pains prior to his arrival in Thailand and had been suffering from asthma and heart issues.
Bo Phut police superintendent Yuttana Sirisomba, said Warne’s family had passed on the medical information and said he recently ‘seen a doctor about his heart’.
It comes as emergency services arrived at the Koh Samui Hospital mortuary at about 8am Sunday morning local time to transport the late 52-year-old to a city in southern Thailand to undergo a post-mortem.
Warne’s body was covered in a purple blanket and put into an ambulance. It’s understood he will be taken to Surat Thani Hospital – 650km south of Bangkok.
Devastated Australians paid their respects to Warne at his statue at the MCG on Saturday – with many paying tribute by leaving beers and cigarettes at the makeshift shrine
Cans of VB, cigarettes, cricket balls, heartfelt letters and even a slice of pizza were all left to honour the bowling legend
Department of Foreign Affairs officials are on board the car ferry with Warne’s friends and Australian ambassador Allan McKinnon as his body is returned to the mainland.
Warne’s family have been offered to farewell him in a state funeral.
The funeral is set to be held in Melbourne, with a date to be confirmed in consultation with the Warne family, Cricket Australia and the Victorian Government ‘to ensure it honours Shane’s passing and memory’.
Victorian sports minister Martin Pakula has also announced the Great Southern Stand at the MCG will be renamed the S.K. Warne Stand.
‘Shane was one of our greatest cricketers of all time, one of only a few that could approach the extraordinary achievements of the great Don Bradman. His achievements were the product of his talent, his discipline and passion for the game he loved,’ Mr Morrison said.
‘But Shane was more than this to Australians. Shane was one of our nation’s greatest characters. His humour, his passion, his irreverence, his approachability ensured he was loved by all. Australians loved him. We all did.’
His daughter, Brooke, 24, on Saturday was seen returning home with partner Alex Heath after spending the day consoling her mother and Warne’s ex-wife Simone.
Meanwhile, countless cricket fans have paid their respects to Warne, with many leaving beers and canned baked beans at the foot of his statue at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Cans of VB, cigarettes, cricket balls, heartfelt letters and even a slice of pizza were all left to honour the bowling legend.
Others just rested their hand against his statue as they farewelled the man who was a hero to many cricket lovers.
