Mick Fanning in mourning after Aussie surfing champ rocked by death of third brother
The Australian surfing legend has now lost all three of his brothers.
Aussie surfing legend Mick Fanning has been rocked by the death of a third brother, with reports emerging that Edward Fanning has died. Edward Fanning's friend Stevie Maher took to social media on Tuesday to share the devastating news.
"Firstly I want to send my condolences to the Fanning family...mum Liz, dad John, sister Rachel and brother Mick," Maher wrote. "My heart is broken to hear the passing of my best mate. I enjoyed and had so many amazing times with you Eddie.
"You were in my wedding party, had so many epic times together in Indo and we were just best mates. I'm goin' to miss you Eddie and now you rest in peace."
It is understood Edward, who was in his 40s, had been living and working in Madagascar at a surf tour camp. The news comes as a horrific new blow for Mick Fanning, who has now lost all three of his brothers.
Mick Fanning rocked by death of third brother
Mick's older brother Peter died in 2015 at the age of 43 due to complications with an enlarged heart. Peter died in his sleep while Mick was attempting to win a fourth world title at Pipeline in Hawaii.
Sean Fanning died in a car crash in Coolangatta in 1998 at the age of 20, when Mick was just 17. Peter's death came in the same year that Fanning was infamously attacked by a shark during a competition in South Africa.
"2015 was such a down year," Fanning said previously. "I went through a divorce, had the shark incident and then at the end of it all I lost my brother. I was just totally empty at the end of it. I was done."
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Mick paid tribute to Peter at the time, writing on social media: “Like all my big brothers, Peter will always be a hero to me. I have so many great memories of the good times we have all spent together and they will be with me forever.
“We recently caught up and he told me how proud he was of me and how much he loves watching me compete. Today was one of the most challenging days of my life but I knew I could find the strength to take part in the final event of the season because that’s what Pete would want. Tell the special people in your life you love them and give them a hug.”
Surfing world rallies around Mick Fanning after devastating news
Fans have been rallying around Fanning and his family after the awful news about Edward emerged on Tuesday. “That poor family. So much loss,” one person wrote. Another added: “Heart is broken for you and the Fanning family."
Mick Fanning is a three-time world surfing champion, winning the title in 2007, 2009 and 2013. He won 22 events on the WSL/ASP tour throughout an illustrious career that came to a close in 2018. He was voted Australian male surfer of the year six times (2002, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011) and is a member of the Surfers' Hall of Fame.