Friends and former rivals of ironman champion Dean Mercer have gathered to remember the 47-year-old father-of-four following his tragic and sudden death.
An informal memorial was held at the Gold Coast’s Kurrawa Sports Club to honour Mercer, who died after he suffered a heart attack and crashed his car into a fence on Monday.
Several of the men Mercer raced against during his long and illustrious surf lifesaving career were among those to attend the emotional memorial.
‘The response has been phenomenal,’ said former world champion Phil Clayton, who organised the event.
Friends and former rivals of ironman champion Dean Mercer (pictured with his four sons) have gathered to remember the 47-year-old father-of-four following his tragic death on Monday
Among those to gather was champion swimmer and close friend Grant Hackett, ironman Ky Hurst (pictured left together) and family friend and spokesman Ian Hanson (right)
Mercer died after he suffered a heart attack and crashed his car into a fence on Monday. He competed in his first professional ironman event aged just 15 and retired aged 40 after the Coolangatta Gold (pictured during the event in 2005)
‘It’s been amazing since his passing how many have reached out; just shows what a great guy he was.’
Among those to gather were Mercer’s former training partner Brett Dowker, family friend and spokesman Ian Hanson, ironman Ky Hurst and champion swimmer Grant Hackett.
‘Yesterday, we lost one of the greatest ironman to walk the earth,’ Hackett wrote on social media on Tuesday.
‘It’s a loss that words can not describe. He was a great competitor, friend, dad and husband.’
Another informal gathering is planned at Towradgi Surf Club in NSW for Wollongong-born Mercer.
Mercer’s former training partner Brett Dowker is pictured arriving to the memorial on Tuesday
Grant Hackett (pictured right) and Ian Hanson (left) chat the informal service to honour Mercer
Mercer is pictured winning the second ironman quarter final at the NRMA Insurance Australian Surf life saving titles in 2004
Arrangements for the ironman champion’s funeral continue, with an appropriate venue to be located to facilitate an expected gathering of approximately 2,000 mourners.
A fundraising campaign for Mercer’s wife, former ironwoman Reen Corbett, and their four sons has so far raised over $21,000 since it was established on Monday.
‘Dean Mercer was tragically taken away from his beautiful family. He leaves behind his gorgeous wife Reen and four amazing little men,’ the GoFundMe page reads.
‘In lieu of flowers, this fund has been set up to help support the family with interim financial arrangements.’
Australian Ironman surf lifesaving champion Shannon Eckstein has a beer for his late friend
Harvie Allison, the photographer for Surf Lifesaving, and his partner arrive at the Kurrawa Sports Club on Tuesday
‘Dean was an amazing husband and loving father – had a love for life and surf,’ his family said in a statement on Monday afternoon
Family spokesman Ian Hanson is hoping the tight-knit surf lifesaving community will rally to support the campaign.
‘Can you imagine if every Aussie lifesaver donated $10? How good would that be? A call to arms for one of our own,’ Mr Hanson said.
Mercer had just bought groceries for his family at a shopping centre on his way home from Kurrawa Surf Club when tragedy struck.
Emergency services found the 47-year-old in a critical condition and worked on him for more than an hour, an ambulance spokesman said.
‘Yesterday, we lost one of the greatest ironman to walk the earth,’ Hackett (pictured at the memorial) wrote on social media on Tuesday
Among those to attend were ironman Ky Hurst (left) and Mercer’s former training partner Brett Dowker (right)
The retired ironman won two Australian crowns and had a swag of titles to his name, including an equal record five NSW state championships and two Test of the Toughest titles
He was rushed to the Gold Coast University Hospital in a critical condition, but couldn’t be saved and died in the emergency room.
‘Dean was an amazing husband and loving father who loved nothing more than sharing his and Reen’s love of life and love of the surf,’ his family said in a statement.
‘Reen, surrounded by close friends has had to tell her boys of the shocking news. You can only imagine the grief surrounding the Mercer family at this time.
‘A champion bloke and a true champion in every sense of the word – taken from us too soon.’
Barry Newman, senior water coach at Kurrawa Surf Club where Mercer was nippers coach and sports officer, was shocked by his friend of 30 years’ death.
Mercer is survived by wife Reen (R) and young sons Brayden, 13, Rory,11, Lachlan nine, and Joshua, six
Mercer is pictured with his children after the 2007 Ironman Series final at Coogee Beach
‘He’s a champion surf lifesaver and the most tenacious competitor I’ve ever met – we were rivals but he was always a good mate,’ he told Daily Mail Australia.
Mr Newman said there was nothing to suggest Mercer was sick or had any medical condition that could have caused the episode at the wheel.
‘I saw him just last night when I picked his family up from the airport, he was healthy for sure,’ he said.
Mercer was born in Thirroul, near Wollongong, and has been involved in surf lifesaving for more than 40 years.
Dean’s brother, Darren (R); niece, Jordan (C); and wife, Reen are likewise ironman and ironwoman champions
Jordan, 23, (pictured with Mercer) is the reigning Nutri-Grain Iron Woman Series Champion
Mercer died after he crashed on Markeri Street near the Allandale Entrance to the Q Super Centre carpark in Mermaid Waters
He competed in his first professional Ironman event aged just 15 and retired aged 40 after the Coolangatta Gold.
Mercer won two Australian crowns and had a swag of titles to his name, including an equal record five NSW state championships and two Test of the Toughest titles.
Surf Life Saving Queensland surf sports manager Stuart Hogben said Mercer put in a lot of effort to coaching juniors at Kurrawa.
‘[He’s built] a bit of a fraternity here, the kids here that he coaches and the senior athletes will be impacted heavily,’ he said.