Andrew Symonds son Will shares touching tribute as Riverway Stadium grandstand is named in his honor

Andrew Symonds’ eight-year-old son was visibly shaken as he cut the ribbon at a Townsville grandstand named in his father’s honor.

Townsville City Council said the stand at the local Riverway Stadium would be named the Andrew ‘Roy’ Symonds stand in recognition of the late cricketer.

At the announcement, Symonds’ young son Will choked on what the grandstand meant to him.

Townsville City Council said the stand at the local Riverway Stadium would be named the Andrew ‘Roy’ Symonds stand in recognition of the late cricketer

“It’s a little surreal that it’s named after Dad. He took me to the cricket nets near here and we spent many hours teaching me how to play,” Will told media. Townsville Bulletin.

‘I miss all that. I wish I could have said goodbye to him. I remember being here a lot with him.

‘It really is something special. I really admire him and I’m going to remember this moment. I will always remember this. He’s always up there and he looks down on me.’

Symonds’ 10-year-old daughter Chloe said it felt good to talk about him and said she knew “he would be proud of us for doing so.”

Barbara, Symond’s mother, said Andrew would have been “so honored” to have a grandstand so close to his home named after him.

“It’s a little surreal that it’s named after Dad. He would take me to the cricket nets around here and we spent many hours teaching me how to play,’ said Will Symonds.

Ms Symonds – who lost her husband just two years before her son’s death – said the community’s outpouring of support and affection had helped her cope with the loss.

“I’ve lost too much of my family and I can’t say it’s easy, but it’s nice that we can celebrate his life,” she said.

Jenny Hill, Mayor of Townsville City Council, said the final design for the plaque has not yet been determined, as it will depend on cyclone safety guidelines, but would be an “appropriate” tribute once completed.

Australian cricketing great Andrew Symonds died on May 14 at the age of 46 in a single-vehicle accident.

The retired Australian cricketer died late at night in Hervey Range, 31 miles west of Townsville in far north Queensland, when his vehicle went off the road and rolled over. His two dogs were also in the car at the time, but survived.

The two cattle dogs were reportedly very protective and shocked when bystanders tried to help Symonds at the accident site.

From left to right: Will Symonds, his ex-partner Laura Vidmar, Symonds’ sister Louise, mother Barbara, best buddy Jimmy Maher and daughter Chloe pay tribute to the late cricketing legend Andrew Symonds with his dogs Buzz and Woody

His wife Laura Vidmar expressed her grief at the news in the immediate aftermath, even though she and Symonds had reportedly been separated for over a year prior to his tragic death.

Her concerns were primarily with their children, who she believed were the image and personality of their larrikin father.

“We are still in shock – I’m only thinking about the two children,” Ms Vidmar . told me News Corp in May.

“He was just such a great person and there was so much of him in his kids.”

Symonds played 26 Tests, 198 ODIs and 14 T20Is for Australia, including his pivotal role in winning the 2003 World Cup in South Africa and a first century of the Test against England in the Boxing Day Test 2006-07 in the MCG.

Chloe and Billy Symonds have drinks for the Australian side as they played Zimbabwe