Father of Late Snowboarder Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin Reveals Family Heartbreak
The father of late Olympic snowboarder Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin has broken down during a powerful interview, detailing the devastating moment he realised his son's girlfriend had cut him and his terminally ill wife out of her life. Chris Pullin, 69, now lives alone in the family home he built with his wife Sally in Eden, New South Wales, following her death last year at age 68 after a brutal battle with central nervous system lymphoma.
Tragic Timeline of Loss
Heartbreakingly, Sally was diagnosed almost exactly one year to the day after their son, a two-time world champion boardercross star, drowned while spearfishing on the Gold Coast on July 8, 2020. Chris struggled to hold back tears as he described how he spent a night clinging to his wife's lifeless body in Chumpy's bed after she passed away. Reminders of the two family members Chris so tragically lost within five years are everywhere in his home.
Family Estrangement Details
During the on-camera interview, Chris recalled the moment he and Sally realised they had been iced out by Chumpy's bereaved girlfriend Ellidy, for whom they had signed an affidavit allowing her to retrieve his sperm in the hours after his death. Ellidy, who changed her surname to Pullin despite not being married to Chumpy, became pregnant via IVF and gave birth to a baby girl in October 2021. Chris revealed he has seen his granddaughter, four-year-old Minnie, just 'three or four times'.
Foundation Dispute Sparks Conflict
Chris believes the feud ignited in May 2024 when he emailed the board of the Chumpy Pullin Foundation - of which Ellidy was co-founder - to express concerns that it was straying from its original purpose of supporting initiatives around youths in sport. Instead, it began to focus on mental health initiatives, which Chris said prompted people to incorrectly assume his son had died by suicide rather than drowning, therefore impacting his legacy and memory.
Communication Cut Off
Soon after the email was sent, Chris alleged Ellidy blocked the joint phone number he shared with Sally, who was by that stage in her third year of fighting her lymphoma diagnosis and suffering tremendously. 'After that (email) we came to understand we could no longer contact Ellidy. Our calls were not going through,' he said during a filmed interview at his dining room table on January 12.
Wife's Devastation
'It hurt Sally a lot. She was devastated. Her cognitive ability was impaired by the lymphoma. But she knew we weren't talking - or rather Ellidy wasn't talking to us,' he explained. 'She was also aware we weren't in touch with Minnie. I was Sally's protector... but to see her so hurt by this, and there was nothing I could do to protect her... it caused a lot of pain.'
Brief Meeting with Granddaughter
Sally and Chris first met their granddaughter while Sally was undergoing gruelling treatment in Sydney late 2021, when Minnie was around six weeks old and had travelled with her mum from their Gold Coast home to the NSW capital. 'It was very lovely of Ellidy to do that,' Chris acknowledged. 'Sally was over the moon about that little baby, and her resemblance to Chump. She still does (resemble him) I daresay.'
Social Media Block
Chris alleged he is blocked from viewing the frequent flow of pictures of Minnie posted to Ellidy's Instagram. Ellidy did not respond to a written request for comment via her agent.
Wife's Final Moments
As part of the interview, Chris bravely shared painful, moving details of his wife's final day. He revealed she went to sleep while he was spooning her on her favourite lounge on their sundeck, which overlooks Eden's Aslings Beach, and simply did not wake up. He explained he did not call an ambulance straight away, and instead carried her into Chumpy's room, and laid down with her on their son's bed.
Final Night Together
'She was at peace. She looked like she was asleep,' he said through tears. He spent one final night holding his wife, who he met when they were 14 in Mansfield and began a romantic relationship when they were 18. 'For me that night was really important. I didn't want to be in a hurry (for her to go) when it happened.'
Family Background
Chris and Sally were parents to Chumpy and his younger sister Emma, and spent most of their lives running the Pullin ski supplies store in the Victorian High Country while working toward their dream of building a home in Eden and enjoying summers sailing as a family.
Reason for Speaking Out
When asked why he agreed to speak on camera, Chris said he had 'only just come out of the fog' of grieving Chumpy, caring for Sally, and losing her nine months ago. He felt 'a response was necessary' over several incidents that have occurred since Chumpy died, including the direction of the foundation in his son's name, his falling out with Ellidy, and knowing that he has a grandchild who is growing up without her father and paternal grandparents.
Profound Loneliness
During a pause in questioning, Chris admitted, 'I am just so lonely'. 'Sal was 62 when we lost Chumpy and our lives stopped. She died at 68, but she really didn't get to enjoy her 60s and what we expected to be our happy retirement,' he said. He told interviewers his dog Stella - a kelpie, just like Chumpy's dog Rummi - has been his saving grace.
