Advertisement

'Better human than I was': Aussie star reveals toll of 'horrific' family tragedy

Alyssa Healy raises her bat after a great. knock for Australia in the T20 World Cup.
Alyssa Healy has talked about the devastating tragedy that rocked her family when she was just 12-years-old. (Getty Images)

Five time World Cup winner Alyssa Healy recently became the talk of the cricket world after blasting an unforgettable knock in the T20 World Cup Final.

To talk about her incredible season, Healy recently appeared on The Howie Games podcast following the innings in front of 85,000 at the MCG in the World Cup Final.

'AWFUL NEWS': Cricket rocked by devastating coronavirus tragedy

‘CLASSLESS’: Piers Morgan's 'crude' sex question in front of star's wife

But before diving into the euphoria of blasting 75 off 39 balls to help guide Australia to the T20 trophy against India, she spoke about the tragic death of her sister that rocked her family when she was just 12-years-old.

“People often ask me, ‘Do you have any brothers or sisters?’ And I normally just give them the short answer – no,” Healy said.

“I get the old, ‘Oh, you’re an only child, that explains a lot’. I laugh it off, but it hasn’t always been the case.

“When I was 12, my older sister passed away. Being such a young girl at the time, it probably didn’t hit me as much as it does now. I’m about to turn 30, and she’d be about 33 or 34 now.

“I feel bad for my mum and dad because they never got to see her grow up into an amazing person that she would have been,” Healy added.

“I feel like she was a better human than I was, definitely – not as talented sporting wise, but gave everything a real crack. It would’ve been cool to see the young woman that she would have turned into.”

Healy’s sister, Corrine, died at the age of 15 a few days after she went into anaphylactic shock while playing touch football.

Alyssa Healy and Ellyse Perry smile after after winning the ICC Women's T20 Cricket World Cup Final.
Alyssa Healy and Ellyse Perry celebrate after winning the ICC Women's T20 Cricket World Cup Final. (Photo by Quinn Rooney-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)

She died in her mum’s arms, which Healy described as “horrific” but also “nice” that her mum was there in her final moments.

The star keeper-batsman rarely speaks of the family tragedy, but choked up when revealing how the devastating loss impacted her parents.

“That’s one thing that I think hurts the most, for mum and dad to lose a child … My mum and dad will never get over that. There’s still a lot of grief there,” she said.

“But they’re getting along with everyday life as best they can.”

Healy’s tribute to her sister’s memory

Healy’s mum asked her if she wanted to go see her sister one last time before they switched off life support.

But Healy said no because she wanted to remember her older sister, as she was, as a “pain in the bum before she left the house.”

Healy went on to score a century in a school match at Drummoyne Oval on the day her older sister’s life support was switched off, which she considers as a tribute to Corrine.

Healy, a bubbly character, said the family tragedy has given her perspective to grab all opportunities with both hands.

“I guess helped me become as resilient as I am today, and it does give me that perspective in life,” she said.

That’s probably why I am so bubbly and just enjoy everything I do, because to go through that as a young person was not much fun, and just gives you the perspective that life’s not that bad, and you can just crack on and enjoy what you’ve got.”