Former NRL journeyman Jason Death is in intensive care after a serious fall left him with a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain.
Death, 54, remains in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and is expected to undergo further surgery in Sydney.
The hooker made his NRL debut with Canberra in 1991 before moving to North Queensland Cowboys ahead of the 1996 season. Next was a move to the New Zealand Warriors (1999) followed by a three-year stint with South Sydney.
When at the Warriors, the footy star was a fan favourite, with a 'Death Row' section at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland where supporters would wear Grim Reaper costumes in support of the forward.
Death retired from the NRL in 2004 after playing more than 200 first-grade games.
A GoFundMe page set up for Death and his family stated he has a 'long road to recovery.' 'We don't know his full recovery path yet, but with your help and positive thoughts, we know he'll get through this,' the fundraising page stated. 'He's currently in ICU, facing more surgeries and a long road to recovery.' 'Jason and his family are some of the kindest people around, and now it's our turn to support them.'
The fundraising effort has so far raised more than $50,000.
Death is also Ivan Cleary's brother-in-law, with Panthers superstar Nathan Cleary his nephew.
In recent years, Death founded a successful gym at Mona Vale, on Sydney's northern beaches. According to the Concept 42 website, the facility is an ultra-inclusive gym studio which provides challenging - but balanced - set workouts for total body conditioning.
