'This is who he was': Proud dad remembers beautiful Shane Warne act

Shane Warne's father has shared a beautiful story about his late son that sums up how the Aussie cricket great touched the lives of so many people around him.

About 55,000 people flocked to the MCG for Wednesday night's memorial service for Warne, who died of a suspected heart attack in Thailand on March 4 at the age of 52.

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Warne's children - Jackson, Summer and Brooke - unveiled the renamed Great Southern Stand as the Shane Warne Stand after each delivered emotional speeches.

In a touching speech, the Spin King's father Keith Warne led tributes to the cricket great and described his son's death as the "darkest day in our family's life".

"Mate, your mother and I can't imagine a life without you. You have been taken too soon and our hearts are broken," he said.

Warne's father spoke of his son's community work after Victoria's devastating and deadly 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, and using his unsuspecting younger brother, Jason, to hone his love for outwitting opponents.

But it was perhaps one story in particular that demonstrated the kind of man Shane was, and left his father Keith filled with pride.

"I remember I picked Shane up at Melbourne Airport when he arrived home after an extensive overseas Test series. He asked me, 'What's been happening, Dad?'" Shane Warne recalled.

"As soon as I mentioned a little boy who had terminal cancer and had been hanging on, hoping to meet Shane, he had me contact the father and see if it was ok for him to pop in and say hello.

"We got the ok and went directly to the boy's home. Shane stayed until the lad was starting to fall asleep which was a good two hours later. Then I drove Shane home to see his own children.

"This is who he was. This summed up Shane's character as a man who took great responsibility in using his profile and privilege to bring good into the lives of people less fortunate than himself.

"We are grateful the world loved our son as we did and thankfully touched so many lives in so many ways."

Warne was remembered as a cricket legend, loveable larrikin and a devoted dad, with his three children speaking of the devastation at losing their idol.

“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," youngest daughter Summer said.

"You told me that I could either live with these demons or fight with them and come out stronger at the end...

“You will always live forever inside my heart Dad, and I will continue your legacy. Forever my Dad, no matter where you are. May you now rest in eternal paradise.”

Warne's son Jackson spoke of the "best Dad anyone could have asked for" and his "best friend".

“Time with you went way too fast. It feels just like yesterday that we were looking at each others cards playing poker, eating pizza while watching the Saints.

“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.”

Eldest daughter Brooke added: “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.

“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.”

World says its final goodbye to Shane Warne

As well as the moving tributes to Warne, his wildlife conservation work with the United Nations was also revealed, with the intergovernmental body announcing a set of new grants to be named in the late great's honour.

Musician Elton John followed a minute's silence with a pre-recorded version of Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me.

"It's a sad day today but it's not in some ways because his legacy lives on," the singer said.

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin sang a remote rendition of Yellow, while fellow singer Robbie Williams also performed a stirring in-studio version of Angels.

Australian actor Hugh Jackman added his voice to the chorus of a virtual tributes, saying Warne made the most of every second in his 52 years.

"Man, he sucked the marrow out of life. There was no one like you, Warnie, and never will be again," he said.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese were in attendance, while Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews could not attend after contracting COVID-19.

Friend and former St Kilda footballer Aaron Hamill gave an insight into Warne's larrikin nature, when the cricketer served as his best man and leaned in for a hug just before the nuptials.

"He said 'mate, it's not too late' and, Shane being Shane, he pulled out two passports. He managed to get his hands on my passport as a bit of a gag," Hamill said.

Others at the MCG, the site of Warne's hat-trick in 1994 and 700th Test wicket in 2006, included former Australian captain Allan Border, ex-English skipper Nasser Hussain and West Indian great Brian Lara.

with AAP

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