V8 Supercars star Declan Fraser reveals hidden tragedy after his house burned down just hours before the Bathurst 1000
- Declan Fraser’s home on the Gold Coast was destroyed by fire
- Fraser got the news just a day before the big race
- Says he regrouped with the help of a sports psychologist
V8 Supercars star Declan Fraser has spoken of the horror of finding out his Gold Coast home was destroyed by fire just hours before he was due to race in the Bathurst 1000.
The 24-year-old Brad Jones Racing driver was told on Saturday that the luxury Hope Island house had burned down while preparing for the big race at Mount Panorama.
No one was injured in the fire, but Fraser has no place to live and almost all of his clothing and personal belongings have been destroyed – and he is far from the only one suffering.
“It’s been a wild 24 hours… I found out in the middle of the day yesterday and it was pretty heartbreaking,” Fraser said. News Corp.
‘My biggest concern was the people I live there with, who own the house, I just rented it from them. They were in the house when it happened.
“They all got out safely, which I’m very grateful for… the fact that they got out safely is remarkable, I think it was a very fast fire. That was my biggest concern with everything.
“They are very good family friends of ours, who I moved in with when I left Melbourne and came to the Gold Coast. I’ve been living with them for about six months now.
‘It’s absolutely devastating for them because it’s their house and their whole life in there, and my life too.
Declan Fraser (pictured) has spoken of the horror of discovering his Gold Coast home was destroyed by fire just hours before he was due to race in the Bathurst 1000
Fraser says news of the fire (pictured) was “heartbreaking” and he is just glad no one was injured
Fraser’s clothing and personal items were lost in the fire, which also destroyed a family he shared a home with
‘I’m very happy that they are doing well. The items can be replaced, but it is quite a job.’
Fraser says he has sought the help of a sports psychologist to help him cope with the shocking news and focus on his work.
“Lots of hours on the phone with my sports psychologist helped me get through it,” Fraser said.
‘The most important thing is that I try to refocus and do my best.
“The plan was to bring home a trophy for them, but obviously a few things in the race didn’t go our way and luck wasn’t on our side.
Fraser said he regrouped before the race with the help of a sports psychologist
‘It was all over the news, so they (my family) decided it was best to tell me early so I had time to process it.
‘So they told me yesterday around lunchtime… if it were up to me I wouldn’t have wanted to know until after the race, but it was all over the news and I got messages from a lot of people about ten minutes after my parents . told me.
“I was probably lucky they told me when they did.”