Cam McCarthy’s dad relives the awful moment he learned of his son’s death as AFL players gather for footy star’s moving funeral after his death aged just 29
Some of the AFL’s biggest names have paid their respects to Cam McCarthy as the 29-year-old’s devastated father made some emotional revelations at a moving funeral on Wednesday.
The Fremantle Dockers and GWS Giants star was laid to rest at Fremantle Cemetery in front of more than a hundred mourners following his tragic death on May 8, with his close friend and West Coast star Tom Barrass acting as one of the pallbearers, carrying tops wore with the initials ‘CM’ written on them.
Other footy stars past and present who attended the ceremony included Dockers skipper Alex Pearce, his teammates Luke Ryan, Sean Darcy and Michael Walters, as well as former Fremantle star Aaron Sandilands and Western Bulldogs cult hero Danny Southern.
Footy stars, including McCarthy’s great friend Tom Barrass, acted as pallbearers as around 100 mourners paid their respects in Fremantle on Wednesday
Cam McCarthy (pictured playing for the Dockers in 2018) was remembered as ‘the light in every room’ he walked into
The pallbearers (pictured) wore tops with Cam McCarthy’s initials embroidered on them
Fremantle Dockers star Sean Darcy (second from left) – who played alongside McCarthy – was among the mourners
Those in attendance (pictured) heard moving eulogies from the late star’s father Graham and sisters Hannah and Jessica
McCarthy’s father Graham delivered a moving eulogy in which he recalled the moment the family learned of Cam’s death while on holiday in Coral Bay, more than 1000km north of Perth.
“We got the call that evening around 5:30 p.m [May 8] and had a few beers that afternoon,” he said The West.
‘We couldn’t believe it. His mother and I were just in shock.
‘The next day the fourteen-hour drive to tow the caravan just gave us time to think.
“We talked, cried, cried some more.
“We came home to our beautiful daughters… it was good to put our arms around our daughters and process what happened.
“We loved him dearly, he left a mark on everything he did.”
A mourner at the service in McCarthy’s hometown of Fremantle wipes away a tear
Funeral visitors are pictured outside the venue for McCarthy’s farewell
Pictured: Mourners outside the service in Fremantle on Wednesday morning, local time
Mr McCarthy then thanked the AFL teams who paid respect to his son on the field in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy.
“I would like to thank GWS, the Dockers, Essendon and Sydney for the matches played the weekend after Cam’s death,” he told mourners.
“To the Eagles players who also wore their armbands with the support staff and the rest of the players across the country… [I] I watched a lot of football that weekend and it was quite moving.”
McCarthy’s sister Hannah reminded the crowd what made her brother so great to be around.
“Our unique, charismatic and larger-than-life brother, he graced every room Cam entered with his infectious smile and bubbly personality, and I have no doubt that everyone here can vouch for that,” she said.
‘Comb, [sister] Jess and I were the best of friends and luckily we did everything together later in life.
McCarthy’s death shook the football world (photo: mourners comfort each other during the service)
“In Cam’s free time, he loved hanging out with us and his best friends for an ice-cold beer and, as he would put it, having great conversations.
“He was an athlete, a singer, a dancer, sometimes a rapper… but most of all he was the light in every room and the world is a lot darker and our hearts a lot heavier without him.”
McCarthy’s father also mentioned Barrass, who paid a heartbreaking tribute to his wonderful friend shortly after his death.
The two footy stars met while training for the Western Australian under-18 side.
“They just formed a bond that is still strong to this day,” McCarthy said.
“We’re forever grateful, buddy. He loved you dearly.’
Freo star Graham’s father chose his son’s great friend, West Coast Eagles star Tom Barrass (pictured left with McCarthy) for a special mention during his eulogy
McCarthy was drafted by the Giants with the No. 14 pick in 2013 and scored one game in his debut season.
He played a total of 49 games for the Fremantle Dockers and 21 games for GWS, after being called up from South Fremantle.
Headlines followed when he left the Giants at the end of the 2015 season, opting to serve out the final year of his contract before being traded to Fremantle.
McCarthy was granted an indefinite leave of absence from the Giants in January 2016 so he could be closer to his family.
The Fremantle-born star would go on to make a further 49 appearances over four seasons with the Dockers, scoring 63 goals along the way.