Shane Warne's family gather as he arrives home
Shane Warne’s ex Simone looks distraught as son Jackson makes touching tribute by driving his dad’s Mercedes G-wagon to collect his body – as new theory emerges about why cricket legend’s heart failed
- Body of cricket legend Shane Warne returned to Australia on Thursday night, six days after his tragic death
- Family and friends, including his personal assistant there to greet private jet at Essendon Airport at 8.40pm
- Millionaire businessman Terry Peabody owns the charter plane which flew Warne home from Bangkok
- An autopsy earlier this week confirmed the spin bowling legend died of suspected heart attack on Thai island
- Planning underway for private memorial and state funeral attended by 100,000 at the MCG on March 30
Shane Warne’s heartbroken family gathered on Thursday night as the body of the sporting icon arrived home, six days after his sudden death in Thailand.
The body of the cricket legend landed in Melbourne on a private jet at 8.40pm. The late leg spinner died from a suspected heart attack while holidaying with friends on the Thai island of Koh Samui.
Questions have been raised over whether Covid played a part in Warne’s death as was recently revealed Warne suffered two bouts of Covid just months a part.
His son Jackson arrived at Essendon Airport driving his dad’s new Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon.
He looked downcast as he made his way to friends and family, including Warne’s parents and his ex-wife Simone Callahan waiting in hangar nine. This was the first time Ms Callahan has been in public since his death six days ago.
The hangar was closed shortly afterwards so his coffin could be privately removed from the plane.
A small army of fans were also at the airport to pay their respects to the late spin bowling legend, despite a heavy police presence.
A police helicopter hovered in the air for half an hour before and after the plane landed.
Warne’s mother Bridgette clutched a white rose as a van left the site.
Parents of Shane Warne Keith and Bridgette and their grandson son Jackson Warne look on as a white van departs from a hangar at Essendon Airport in Melbourne
Simone Callahan, ex-wife of Shane Warne, is seen for the first time since the cricketers death six days ago
Shane Warnes family including parents Keith and Brigite, his children Jackson, Brooke and Summer, his ex wife Simone Callahan, manager Helen Nolan and his friends who were in Thailand with Shane, are seen watching as the van carrying his body leaves the airport
Jackson Warne is seen driving in his late-father’s Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon with family members after gathering to welcome Shane Warne home
A private jet carrying the body of cricket legend Shane Warne touched down at Essendon Airport on Thursday night
The late leg spinner died from a suspected heart attack while holidaying with friends on the Thai island of Koh Samu
Warne, 52, was ferried home to Melbourne on a plane owned by one of millionaire Australian businessman Terry Peabody’s charter jets. Peabody, a former billionaire, is a prominent wine and waste management entrepreneur.
Thai authorities gave clearance for his body to be returned home this week after an autopsy report revealed Warne, 52, died of natural causes.
Warne’s family reported he had been having heart troubles in the weeks leading up to his death, while it has also been noted he suffered from asthma.
The legendary spin bowler battled Covid twice in recent months and was also a heavy smoker.
He first contracted the virus in August last year while in England coaching the London Spirit.
He was placed on a ventilator to ensure he didn’t suffer any lingering effects of the virus.
Jackson Warne arrives at Essendon Airport driving his dad’s jeep, in the days after his death he has shared a number of touching tributes to social media
Shane Warne’s PA Helen Nolan (left) was comforted by airport staff after the body of much-loved sports icon returned home to Melbourne
Shane Warne’s PA Helen Nolan is seen clutching a can of Warne’s own brand of mid-strength G&T
The plane was parked in hangar nine, which then closed to ensure the private removal of Shane Warne’s body from the plane
He opened up about his battle with Covid during an interview with the Herald Sun.
‘The first couple of days, when I tested positive, I just had a thumping headache and I had one day where I had the shivers, but (was) sweating, like when you have the flu,’ he said.
A few months later he contracted the virus again. This time he described it as a ‘sniffle’.
‘The second time was just a bit of a sniffle and the first time I was quite bad. Now I’m double vaxxed, had it twice, and think I’ll be ok for a while.’
While it remains unclear exactly what impacts Covid has on the heart, studies show there are links.
Professor Tom Marwick, the director of the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute at the Alfred, who is leading the study said there are not links to sudden death.
But research shows those who had had Covid had a 72 per cent increased rate of heart failure and 63 increased risk of heart attack a year after becoming infected.
Jackson Warne drives on to the tarmac as the plane carrying Shane Warne’s body touches down at Essedon Airport
Jackson Warne arrives at Essedon Airport. Over the past week he has been sharing touching photos of him with his dad as he mourns the loss of his beloved father
Warne had also completed a 14-day liquid only diet in the days leading up to his death.
His manager James Erskine described the diet as ‘extreme’ and ‘ridiculous’.
‘It was a bit all or nothing. It was either white buns with butter and lasagne stuffed in the middle, or he would be having black and green juices,’ he said.
‘He obviously smoked most of his life [but] I don’t know, I think it was just a massive heart attack. That’s what I think has happened.’
Warner was undergoing ‘operation shred’ – a mission to get back in peak form.
The private jet left Bangkok on Thursday morning and landed at Melbourne’s Essendon Airport that night
Shane Warne’s mother Bridgette Warne (left) holds a rose while a white van departs from a hangar at Essendon Airport in Melbourne
He previously mentioned he had tried ‘traditional Chinese medicine’ to lose a few kilos with his family confirming he would complete ’30-day fasting tea diets’ as he his weight fluctuated throughout his career.
Earlier on Thursday morning, Warne’s coffin was draped in an Australian flag as the legendary cricketer began his final voyage home from Thailand, a journey that began before dawn.
Thai police were seen loading Warne’s casket into the back of a waiting ambulance, ahead of a nine-hour flight by private jet from Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok.
Australian government officials, including Australia’s ambassador to Thailand, Allan McKinnon, were at Don Mueang Airport as the charter flight departed.
A commercial Qantas flight from Bangkok to Sydney was also considered, but would have involved a transfer to Melbourne and would not have arrived at a private hangar, Nine newspapers reported on Tuesday.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade also assisted Warne’s family with the return of his body to Australia.
Warne’s eldest daughter Brooke, 24, posted a heartbreaking tribute three hours before her father’s body arrived home.
Moving images of Shane Warne’s coffin draped with an Australian flag (pictured) have come as the legendary cricketer begins his final voyage home
‘Dad my heart is broken, This doesn’t feel real and doesn’t make sense that you are not here with us anymore, it doesn’t feel right, you were taken away too soon and life is so cruel,’ she captioned a snap of the pair from her childhood.
Her brother Jackson, 23, also shared a series of photos and videos with his dad.
‘Thankyou everyone for the overwhelming amount of support, messages and love,’ he wrote on Thursday night
The return of Warne’s body comes after friends and family gathered on Wednesday to discuss funeral arrangements.
A private jet carrying the coffin of the legendary cricketer has officially departed Don Mueang Airport and is scheduled to land in Melbourne at about 8pm on Thursday
CCTV captured Warne casually strolling through the villa holding several shirts after a visit to his favourite tailor just hours before he died of a shock heart attack
A private memorial is expected to be held on March 20.
A state funeral will be held on March 30 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, with as many of Warne’s fans as possible to be allowed to attend.
Many of Warne’s international celebrity pals are also expected to attend, including Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and singer Ed Sheeran.
The legendary cricketer’s body will be returned to his family in Melbourne on Thursday (pictured, Warne in Koh Samui)
The state memorial will be ticketed and live-streamed for those who can’t attend, with tickets to be made available to the public soon.
‘There’s nowhere in the world more appropriate to farewell Warnie than the ‘G,’ Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters earlier this week.
‘There will be no limits on crowds and that sort of stuff. ‘It will be a very big event, it will be a celebration of his life as it should be.’
Around 100,000 people are expected to pack the MCG for the twilight service, the scene of Warne’s famous Ashes hat-trick in 1994 and 700th Test wicket on Boxing Day in 2006 before retiring from international cricket.
Shane Warne’s final steps were captured on CCTV in the luxury Sumujana Villas at about 1:30pm on Friday – just hours before he died of a sudden heart attack.
The homecoming comes after an autopsy earlier this week confirmed the cricketer had died of a heart attack on the Island of Koh Samui last Friday
Warnes’ close friends and family are expected to hold a private ceremony to farewell the sporting legend from as early as next week (pictured, Warne with his three children)
The legendary cricketer was seen holding several shirts following a visit to his favourite tailor in the Thai island town of Koh Samui.
Casually dressed in shorts, wearing a cap and holding his phone, Warne appeared at ease as he made his way through the foyer and back to his room for a relaxing massage and to watch the cricket from Pakistan.
The cricket legend was on a ‘boys trip’ at the luxury Samujana Villa resort in Koh Samui when he was found unresponsive in his room about 5pm local time.
It’s understood no diet medications or heart drugs were found in Warne’s hotel room at the time of his death.
Warne (pictured with his son Jackson and daughters Summer and Brooke) had been suffering heart troubles in the weeks leading up to his death
Warne (pictured in 2017) had completed a 14-day liquid only diet before the trip, described by his manager James Erskine as ‘extreme’ and ‘ridiculous’
Earlier pictures from the initial investigation revealed several blood spatters in the room around Warne’s bed.
Local police say the blood was due to lengthy and desperate CPR efforts, performed first by one of Warne’s mates and later by first responders.
The paramedic who first arrived on the scene described the sheer chaos as he tried to save Warne’s life with friends shouting ‘come on, Shane’ in the background.
Anuch Han-Iam said Warne’s frantic friends were already performing CPR when they arrived at the villa.
‘They were trying to bring him back to life… they were desperate. I think one was crying. Really stressed and panicked,’ he said earlier this week.
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