MARK Heanly could make anyone feel 10 feet tall standing firmly on the ground.
He was humble, driven and a great connector, who tragically lost his life in a cycling accident near Scone on Saturday.
The 59-year-old has left a hole in the hearts of all who knew him, remembered for his incredible empathy, strong work ethic and years of quiet but deliberate charity work.
He leaves behind his wife Jenny and four kids, Alexander, Gabrielle, Nicholas and Madeline, who he showed unwavering compassion to throughout his life.
"We had this image as a kid of dad being tough as nails and very respectful, manners were everything - it was an old school mentality," Alex said.
"But we saw through his work with the Black Dog Institute and McGrath Foundation that dad had compassion for people in every walk of life and every situation, he had empathy that inspired him to put everyone else first.
"He always wanted to leave the world in a better place and do his part, and the people in his world are better off because he was there - and in that he definitely overshot the mark."
Describing him as a "magnet", his daughter Maddy said his loss has been felt throughout the community.
"It wouldn't matter if you met dad once or a hundred times, he made people feel like the most important person in the world when they were talking to him," she said.
"I think he'd be surprised at the impact he's had, he was incredibly humble, but seeing how many lives he's touched - I think he would be proud of that."
Born in England, Mr Heanly moved to Australia with his parents Peter and Hilary at a young age and grew up in NSW's Mid North Coast.
He grew up on a property with his three brothers until he moved to Newcastle to study, where 'The Axe' quickly impressed as a skilled and enthusiastic member of the University of Newcastle Rugby Union Club.
His rugby career was extensive, playing 125 games for the university, he was part of the 1988 premiership-winning first grade team.
Former teammate Ian Neale described Mr Heanly as a "powerhouse" in the forward pack, with great grit and determination.
"He was a really committed footballer and committed in his spirit as well, he was motivated, enthusiastic and dedicated and a great player and friend to have," he said.
"Mark was someone who was reliable and backed his mates up, he was part of a really strong club and it's only strong because people like him contributed in the way he did, and that is pretty special."
When he wasn't on the footy field, Mr Heanly was studying to become a successful accountant - eventually establishing his own business before moving with his wife, who he married on August 6, 1988, and family to their property at Owens Gap.
His son, Alex, said his mum was everything to his dad.
"They were a package couple, Mark and Jenny, the two of them, she's amazing and from day one dad was drawn to that," he said.
"They've raised my three younger siblings, the best people I know who are truly the embodiment of him and mum."
His friend of almost 40 years Chris Chapman said even from a young age, there was something special about Mr Heanly.
"He was like the sun, he had groups of people and friendships that orbited around him," he said.
"Mark just had this light he would shine on you when you were with him that made you a better person.
"When you were with him, you felt like his best mate, he was that guy that would drop anything to be with you or do something with you."
That caring attitude was strongly reflected in Mr Heanly's philanthropic work, helping raise an estimated $3 million for charities across Australia.
Mr Heanly was an avid cyclist, and would ride, trek and even kayak to raise money for the Black Dog Institute, McGrath Foundation, Mermaid with a Message, HMRI and countless others - all while running his family farm.
Mr Chapman said Mr Heanly's number one focus was always his family, dedicated to mentoring his children and giving them extraordinary experiences.
"It was everything to Mark," he said.
"No one knows how he made time for it all, we don't think he slept.
"He was humble but decisive and that's what I loved about him, he was the kind of guy you would follow into battle."
Mr Heanly unfortunately passed away in a cycling accident while on a group ride 16km outside of Scone on Saturday.
His fellow cyclists began CPR until police and paramedics arrived but he sadly died at the scene.
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