Tributes are flowing after the “heartbreaking” death of a young Adelaide Hills Australian rules footballer, who was flown to hospital after a collision on the field.
Antonio Loiacono was the sort of man who “would put a smile on anyone’s face”, his brother said.
The 20-year-old, from the Birdwood Football Club, suffered critical injuries during a Saturday match against Gumeracha, the ABC reported. He was then flown to Royal Adelaide hospital on Saturday night, but died on Sunday.
“We know that the young gentleman was taken to hospital pretty quickly after the event and was in a critical condition, but for his life to be so tragically lost is heartbreaking, it’s absolutely heartbreaking,” the South Australian premier, Peter Malinauskas, said on Monday.
The Great Southern Football League said members’ thoughts were with his family “at this time of unbelievable sadness”.
“Community football is what we live for and this is a truly sad time when a player is cut down by an unfortunate on field incident, no matter what level of the game,” the league said on Facebook.
Jack Loiacono, who the ABC identified as Antonio’s brother, wrote on Facebook: “Antonio, my other half, my best friend and the person I look up to most. Words can’t describe the pain we all feel you’re loved by so many.
“You will always be in my heart and I’ll talk to you every day.
“Your aura was so special and would put a smile on anyone’s face … you are the most caring thoughtful person I’ve come across.
“Everything I do from this day forward is for you I love you so so much Tones, thinking about you.”
Malinauskas, described it as a “tragic loss”.
“You may occasionally expect an injury but a death is very very unexpected … I can’t imagine how awful this is for the club and the family members,” he said.
“[It’s] an awful, awful start to the season for that club and footy players more broadly.
“Accidents happen in contact sport all the time, and no one ever expects it to result in a loss of life, particularly for such a young, healthy, good person, so this is hard for anyone to get their head around and I think the whole state’s thoughts will be with family members first and foremost.”
