Gut-wrenching moment Karl Stefanovic finds out live on air that his old schoolmate’s mum died overnight– as Allison Langdon chokes back tears and blasts cruel decision to keep him in hotel quarantine By Sam McPhee For Daily Mail Australia Published: 23:18 BST, 7 July 2021 | Updated: 23:22 BST, 7 July 2021 Viewcomments A schoolmate of Karl Stefanovic told the Today host his mother had died live on air while stuck in hotel quarantine after the Queensland government refused to let him see her. Anthony McCormack went to Saint Augustine's College in Cairns with Stefanovic growing up, and joined the show on Thursday morning to talk about attempting to get out of quarantine to say goodbye to his dying parent. He instead informed the Today host on air that his mother had died the night before and he'd been unable to see her despite desperately travelling home from Canada. 'Anthony joins us from hotel quarantine. Anthony, I wish it was under better circumstances, my man, in talking to you. Firstly, how are you doing? How is your mum doing?' Stefanovic asked. 'G'day, Karl. She passed away last night,' his schoolmate replied as Stefanovic looked distraught. A schoolmate of Karl Stefanovic told the Today host his mother had died live on air while stuck in hotel quarantine after the Queensland government refused to let him see her Mr McCormack says he can't get ahold of anyone from the government and given a reason as to why his application to see his dying mother was rejected 'Thought we might get another week. Sort of the end of the road there. She was very upset that I couldn't get in there and see her. 'That was really what she was hanging on for. The situation is I've got 12 days in this room now to sort of process this thing on my own.' Mr McCormack says he can't get ahold of anyone from the government and given a reason as to why his application to see his dying mother was rejected. 'There's no context here. There's no feedback. I can't touch anyone. I can't see anyone. Beyond the odd sort of call. It's me and these four tiny walls for the next 12 days,' he said. 'It's all about my mum. She was desperate to see me, 'I would have been far better off staying in Canada, to be honest, where my wife is, freedom to get outside and so forth.' Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site (dailymail) and under his responsibility