How Shane Warne’s son Jackson was ‘proud’ of his controversial father

Shane Warne’s son Jackson spoke about how ‘proud’ he was to be the son of the cricket icon in a deeply personal interview last year.  

The 23-year-old and his sisters Brooke, 24, and Summer, 20, are grieving the loss of their father after he was found dead from a suspected heart attack, aged 52, in Thailand.

Speaking to Men’s Health, Jackson said he was ‘lucky’ to be the son of the sports star: ‘I only see Dad as Dad. I can’t compare him to other parents.

Shane Warne’s son Jackson spoke about how ‘proud’ he was to be the eldest boy of the cricket icon in a deeply personal interview last year

‘I can always remember just smiling. So, I think he did a great job. And I’m proud of him.’

Jackson, who lived with his father in Melbourne for the past four years, said living in his dad’s shadow was always something he ‘wrestled with’, but was eventually at peace with it.

‘For me, all I had to do to switch that mindset was to realise that I didn’t choose who my dad was, and what he did was bloody awesome,’ he added.

The tragic last photo Jackson shared with his father was on January 31, 2022. The pair were pictured beaming while watching the Australian Open alongside Australian Rules footballer Steven Baker (right)

The tragic last photo Jackson shared with his father was on January 31, 2022. The pair were pictured beaming while watching the Australian Open alongside Australian Rules footballer Steven Baker (right)

The tragic last photo Jackson shared with his father was on January 31, 2022. The pair were pictured beaming while watching the Australian Open alongside Australian Rules footballer Steven Baker.

‘What a night!!’ Shane commented underneath. 

Jackson maintained a strong relationship with his dad, which was evident during his appearance on SAS Australia in 2020.

After a gruelling stint on the show, Jackson burst into tears when he heard his father’s voice on the phone after the pair were separated for so long.

After a gruelling stint on SAS Australia, Jackson burst into tears when hearing his father's voice on the phone after the pair were separated for so long

After a gruelling stint on SAS Australia, Jackson burst into tears when hearing his father’s voice on the phone after the pair were separated for so long

‘I was in such a different state of mind when I was on that course,’ Jackson explained to The Herald Sun at the time. 

‘This is the only thing that matters, and when I was doing the self isolation in Jindabyne I probably had only spoken to him three times so I saw his face pop up and it all came out.’

Jackson said that his emotions ‘overwhelmed’ him.

He added: ‘I had the biggest cry I had in five or six years.’

During the episode, Jackson called his famous father to tell him he was quitting and erupted into tears.

‘Guess what! I tried everything. I did everything. I tried all the food, I did all the ropes courses, I did all the water stuff, I did it all,’ he told his dad.

'Guess what! I tried everything. I did everything. I tried all the food, I did all the ropes courses, I did all the water stuff, I did it all,' he told his dad

‘Guess what! I tried everything. I did everything. I tried all the food, I did all the ropes courses, I did all the water stuff, I did it all,’ he told his dad 

Clearly proud, Shane told his son ‘well done’ and asked him if he was ‘glad’ he’d agreed to appear on the gruelling reality show.

‘Yes, so happy! I learnt so much. It’s changed my life,’ Jackson told Shane, who smiled and told him, ‘That’s awesome’.

As Shane told his son that he looked ‘exhausted’, Jackson began to sob uncontrollably.

‘Oh, mate. You know what I reckon you’ve done, you’ve pushed yourself so much. You’ve done unreal, mate,’ Shane reassured him.

Shane posted a photo of Jackson to Instagram after his SAS stint, along with a moving caption. 'I'm so glad everyone got to see what a wonderful, caring and thoughtful young man Jackson is. Love you so much,' he wrote

Shane posted a photo of Jackson to Instagram after his SAS stint, along with a moving caption. ‘I’m so glad everyone got to see what a wonderful, caring and thoughtful young man Jackson is. Love you so much,’ he wrote 

As well as living together in Melbourne, Jackson also lived with her father in the UK during the most recent Ashes series where Shane was a commentator for Sky Sports

As well as living together in Melbourne, Jackson also lived with her father in the UK during the most recent Ashes series where Shane was a commentator for Sky Sports 

He added: ‘We love you. We’re so proud of you. You’ve done awesome… Mate, we’re so proud of you. You’ve done unbelievably well.’

Overcome with emotion, Jackson continued to sob as his dad told him how much he loved him and how proud he was of him.

‘Go and smash 20 burgers!’ Shane added with a laugh.

Shane later shared a picture of Jackson on the show, which he captioned: ‘So proud of my son @jacksonwarne18 for pushing himself so hard on @sasaust7!!

‘I’m so glad everyone got to see what a wonderful, caring and thoughtful young man Jackson is. Love you so much’.

Australian cricket hero and legendary leg-spinner, Warne,  pictured at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on February 18, died suddenly aged 52 on Friday

Australian cricket hero and legendary leg-spinner, Warne,  pictured at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on February 18, died suddenly aged 52 on Friday

As well as living together in Melbourne, Jackson also lived with her father in the UK during the most recent Ashes series where Shane was a commentator for Sky Sports.

In the same interview with Men’s Health, Shane said that the pair have become like ‘best mates’.

‘We do everything together. As well as father-son, we’re like best mates,’ Shane said. ‘His interests and my interests are very similar, probably because he’s lived with me for so long and he’s been around my friends.’

Jackson is yet to publicly speak out on the death of his father.

Tributes poured in after Warne was found dead while on holiday in Koh Samui, Thailand on Friday evening.  

Four friends staying with him battled to save his life for 20 minutes, police have said.

The Australian megastar cricketer turned pundit and businessman, and the greatest leg spinner in history, was found unconscious in a villa in the resort.

Thai police said that Warne was staying in the villa with four friends, and when one of the group tried to wake Shane for food at around 5pm local time today he was found to be unresponsive.

Thai police said that Warne was staying in the villa with four friends, and when one of the group tried to wake Shane for food at around 5pm local time today he was found to be unresponsive

Thai police said that Warne was staying in the villa with four friends, and when one of the group tried to wake Shane for food at around 5pm local time today he was found to be unresponsive

Officers said the friends performed CPR on him for around 20 minutes before an ambulance arrived and took Warne to the Thai International Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Speaking this evening by phone, Police Senior Sergeant Major Suporn Hemruangsree said: ‘Police received a report about somebody who died at the Thai International Hospital so we went and asked the hotel, and found out that the deceased was with four other friends and died in the room.

‘In the villa, the people were sleeping in separate rooms. They were sleeping from afternoon to evening, until about 5pm.

‘At 5pm somebody came to call out this person for dinner but the deceased did not respond so they called three other friends to perform CPR for 20 minutes. They waited for the ambulance to come.

‘The doctor announced the death of the person at 6:53pm. Police went and checked the room and there was no sign of intrusion or possessions being searched through. The body was sent for an autopsy at Koh Samui Hospital.’

Warne became a global star in 1993 by bowling out Mike Gatting with the so-called 'Ball of the Century' - his first ball in Ashes cricket. He went on to get 708 test wickets, tormenting teams all over the world, especially Australia's great rival England

Warne became a global star in 1993 by bowling out Mike Gatting with the so-called ‘Ball of the Century’ – his first ball in Ashes cricket. He went on to get 708 test wickets, tormenting teams all over the world, especially Australia’s great rival England

Pictured in 1997 with her fellow Aussie cricketers in the change rooms of the 4th test match in England

Pictured in 1997 with her fellow Aussie cricketers in the change rooms of the 4th test match in England

Warne’s manager separately confirmed his death, saying that the father-of-three could not be revived.

‘It is with great sadness we advise that Shane Keith Warne passed away of a suspected heart attack in Koh Samui, Thailand today, Friday March 4,’ a statement from the management company read.

The statement added: ‘Shane was found unresponsive in his Villa and despite the best efforts of medical staff, he could not be revived. The family requests privacy at this time and will provide further details in due course.’ 

Warne became a global star in 1993 by bowling out Mike Gatting with the so-called ‘Ball of the Century’ – his first ball in Ashes cricket.

He went on to get 708 test wickets, tormenting teams all over the world, especially Australia’s great rival England. 

Warne is survived by his three children, Jackson, Summer and Brooke, all of whom he shares with his ex-wife of ten years Simone Callahan.

MailOnline understands Warne landed in Thailand yesterday and was seen looking happy while chatting with fans at the airport and looked like he was on a boys’ break.

He is believed to have died at the luxury Samujana Villas resort in Koh Samui.

Shane is survived by his three children, Jackson, Summer and Brooke, all of whom he shares with his ex-wife of ten years Simone Callahan

Shane is survived by his three children, Jackson, Summer and Brooke, all of whom he shares with his ex-wife of ten years Simone Callahan

The amazing cricket career of Shane Keith Warne 

Tests: 145

Debut: v India, Sydney, 1992

Wickets: 708

Five-wicket hauls: 37

Average: 25.41

Best bowling: 8-71 v England

Runs: 3,154 at an average of 17.32

High score: 99 

One-day internationals: 194

Wickets: 293

Five-wicket hauls: 1

Best bowling: 5-33 v West Indies

Average: 25.73

Runs: 1,018

High score: 55

* Arguably the most famous and influential cricketer since Don Bradman, Warne is widely credited with revitalising the art of leg spin bowling after an era dominated by fast bowlers.

* Was named one of Wisden’s five best players of the 20th century.

* First player to take 700 wickets, although his record was ultimately surpassed by Muttiah Muralitharan (800 wickets).

* Chosen for the 1993 Ashes tour of England a year after an unpromising Test debut, Warne bowled England captain Mike Gatting with his first delivery, later dubbed the ball of the century’.

* Became the first player in over 90 years to take a hat-trick in the Ashes when he achieved the feat against England at Melbourne in 1994.

* Was fined by the Australian Cricket Board in 1995 after admitting taking money from a man associated with an Indian bookmaker for providing information about pitches and weather, but the case was hushed up for three years.

* Underwent surgery in 1998 to repair a career-threatening shoulder injury, then another operation to repair a damaged finger as the wear and tear of bowling started taking its toll.

* Relaunched his career at the 1999 World Cup and was named man of the match in Australia’s victory over Pakistan in the final.

* Broke Dennis Lillee’s Australian record of 355 test wickets on tour in New Zealand in 2000 but then lost the test vice-captaincy for sending lewd text messages to an English nurse.

* Made a miraculous recovery from injury to join the team for the 2003 World Cup but was sent home in disgrace before the tournament began after failing a drugs test. He was banned for 12 months.

* Made his return against Sri Lanka in 2004, taking 10 wickets in his first match to pass 500 test wickets.

* Separated from his wife Simone in 2005 following media reports of his adultery before becoming the first player to reach 600 test wickets.

* Took 40 wickets in the 2005 Ashes series and finished the year with 96 to break Lillee’s long-standing world record of 85 in a calendar year.

* Bowled Monty Panesar to seal Australia’s victory in the third test against England to regain the Ashes in 2006 and three days later announced he would quit international cricket at the end of the series.

* Reached the once-unthinkable 700 wicket milestone in his penultimate test and clinched his 708th in the final test which sealed a 5-0 whitewash for Australia.

* Finished his career with the most runs in Tests (3,154) without a hundred to his name, coming closest against New Zealand when he scored 99 in Perth in 2001.

* Retired from first-class cricket after a season with English county Hampshire but was lured back by the riches of the Indian Premier League in 2008, signing up as captain and coach of the Rajasthan Royals.

* Led the Royals to the first IPL title against the Chennai Super Kings in a nail-biting final that went down to the last ball.

* Picked up the wicket of Rohit Sharma and led the Royals to a thumping 10-wicket victory in his final game as a professional cricketer.

* Announced his retirement from professional cricket in May 2011.

 

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