sport news Father of Adelaide Crows AFLW star and Australian Army medic Heather Anderson ... trends now

The father of AFLW premiership hero Heather Anderson, who tragically took her own life on Sunday aged just 28, has broken his silence, saying the family is 'in awe of the outpouring of support across Australia'. 

Brian Anderson said the 'sadness in the family is palpable' after the long-time Army medic took her own life at the barracks she was stationed at in Perth. 

Affectionately known as 'Heads', the former Adelaide Crow and Bulldogs representative was one of the fittest female players to ever play the game, and an immensely popular teammate, opponent and friend. 

Though Anderson played just one AFLW season - albeit a hugely successful one - due to a horrific run of injuries, the Crows premiership defender touched the lives of everyone she came in contact with during an inspiring footy and Defence Force career.

That's evident by the scale of the emotional response to her tragic death from former teammates, opponents, AFLW fans and defence force personnel according to Brian. 

'The response to the news of Heather taking her own life have shown us that she had friends, teammates, and fellow soldiers all across the country,' he told the Adelaide Advertiser.

'Heather had a passion for the Army, football and learning and the Army gave her incredible opportunities; opportunities she found and pursued with incredible focus.

'(The) Army gave her the space to pursue AFLW and a career in equal measure. Army gave her the best medical and rehabilitation support we could imagine after the second shoulder dislocation in the inaugural AFLW grand final.

'With that support Heather was able to recover and then gain an elite level of fitness so as to then work supporting some of the elite units in the Army, and gain qualifications we could only dream of.

'And yet she found time to complete her degree in Paramedicine and undertake a degree in Psychology. We treasure the memories of her and her achievements, and are in awe of the outpouring of support from across Australia,' Mr Anderson said.

While starring at AFLW and National Championship level, Anderson served in the Army as a Private after joining in 2015. She was first posted to Darwin and has since been stationed in Perth.

The Australian Defence Force confirmed her death in a statement on Tuesday. 

'It is with great sadness Defence can confirm the death of an Australian Army soldier Private Heather Mary Anderson on Sunday, in Perth,' a spokesperson told news.com.au. 

'Anderson was a gifted athlete playing professional AFLW football with the Adelaide Crows and as part of the ARMY AFLW squad, and served her country for many years.

'We extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Private Anderson. We are providing welfare support in accordance with the wishes of her family.

'As investigations by WA authorities are ongoing, it is not appropriate for Defence to comment on the matter further,' the spokesperson said.

Veterans support page Pineapple Express posted about the death of the serving medic, emphasising just how important it was for serving or ex-serving members of the defence force to prioritse their mental health and speak up.  

'It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Heather Anderson, aged 28. Heather was a current serving medic who also played for the Adelaide Crows in AFLW ... Heather tragically took her own life on barracks Sunday morning in Perth,' read their Facebook post.

'We can't harp on this enough which is why we repeat it so often. Whether you are serving or ex-serving, know that we are a community that helps each other out. Please reach out to your mate for help if you need it. 

'There is so much out there now to support you and most importantly, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. It's time we reach out and conduct a mate-check on our mates,' the post read.

A former co-worker of Anderson's also fondly remembered the Army medic, and urged other veterans to get help. 

'I knew her, we were posted together in Darwin. A very thoughtful and intelligent person. I met her family on a few occasions down at Bandiana, her father was an officer in the Air Force, I am devastated how her mother and father and siblings are feeling at this moment,' wrote the user on Reddit. 

'She would run across the state of ACT during her Xmas break. A good medic and insanely fit. She always looked after and spoke calmly to her colleagues, we had many interesting conversations throughout the five years we were at ASH and Darwin. 

'No longer will I get a chance to talk to her again. We all return to God in the end. I am crying. RAAMC and Army have lost a pure soul. Only now, I wish and beg I could of at least made an effort to speak more and more to understand the thoughts to cease ones own life,' the user wrote.

Heartbreakingly, in 2017 Anderson spoke of the importance of veterans support service Soldier On Australia, which supports those impacted either physically or psychologically.

'It's something I'd very much love to bring awareness to, to reduce the stigma and raise a few funds to help people with that recovery,' she told Mamamia at the time. 

Just five years later, and the entire footy and defence force world has been rocked by the fact she felt no other way out than to take her own life in her barracks. 

Anderson, nor any other life, could ever be reduced to a statistic, but

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