Veteran Australian broadcaster and former senator Derryn Hinch has given a sobering account of his rapidly declining health, revealing he has suffered an alarming number of falls over the past year, even while using his walker.
A Series of Painful Falls
The 81-year-old appeared visibly frail and downcast during an interview on A Current Affair, where he discussed the severe age-related health issues he now confronts daily. Hinch disclosed that his physical strength has deteriorated so significantly that he has experienced 30 falls in the last year. His walker, which he affectionately calls 'Johnny', has been unable to prevent these repeated and painful tumbles.
'I've had 30 falls in the last year. And they just happen, even when I'm holding onto Johnny. I sometimes just hit the floor,' Hinch told the programme. His most recent fall was particularly severe, leaving him stranded on the floor overnight until help could reach him. This incident resulted in a three-week hospital stay after he discovered he had broken two ribs.
Confronting a Grim Reality with Dark Humour
Recalling the terrifying ordeal of being immobilised, Hinch said, 'I didn't know I'd broken two ribs. But the thing was, I was just lying there. I couldn't move my legs, couldn't use my arms, couldn't crawl to my bedroom to get a blanket. I felt totally stranded.' Despite the grim nature of his situation, the broadcaster's trademark dark humour surfaced. Gesturing to a chair on his balcony, he quipped, 'This is a great place to cark it. I mean, sitting in that chair, staring at the clouds. Good night nurse. Goodbye, world!'
Hinch's current mobility issues were exacerbated by a Christmas mishap last year that left him with two black eyes and dependent on the walker. An earlier fall had also caused a severe leg infection that swelled dramatically.
A Litany of Serious Health Crises
The falls are just one part of a broader and serious health crisis the former senator has been battling for years. His medical history is a formidable one, including facial melanoma that required multiple rounds of radiation, a life-threatening blood infection, and an electric shock procedure last December to correct an irregular heartbeat.
Hinch has also been candid about his role in his own health struggles, admitting that his diagnosis of advanced cirrhosis was the result of years of heavy drinking. 'It was just stupid. I drank far too much,' he previously told Channel Ten. He also addressed criticism for occasionally drinking wine after his diagnosis, stating, 'I thought if I have five more years to live I want to live them well and enjoy my life.'
Yet, amidst the physical pain and hospital stays—including another recent admission for an infection following a fall—Hinch maintains a profound gratitude for the life he has lived. 'I've had such an incredible life... I hold a seat in history, it's pretty good... If I last another month or ten years, that's all good by me.' He remains optimistic about the future, insisting that, health permitting, there is still more to come.
