Parents of jockey who died in sickening race fall reveal they saw their son’s death live on TV: ‘We were screaming and crying’
Dean Holland’s parents have spoken candidly about the horrifying moment they saw their son’s fatal fall on live television, while paying tribute to their once in a lifetime son.
On Monday, veteran hooper Tony McEvoy was riding Mount Headingley in race one at 1.30pm in Donald, 175 miles north-west of Melbourne, when he was involved in a fall described by onlookers as ‘sickening’. He was confirmed dead later that day.
The 34-year-old is survived by wife Lucy and four children under the age of five: Harley, Luca, Frankie and Lily.
Speak against News CorpHolland’s father, Darren, said he and wife Belinda fled frantically to Melbourne after watching their son’s accident on TV from their home in South Australia.
“We were watching live and it was incredible,” said Mr. Holland.
Jockey Dean Holland’s parents lifted the lid the moment they saw his tragic fall
Father-of-four Holland tragically died on Monday during a race in Victoria
The 34-year-old died on Monday after an accident while racing in Victoria
“We ran through the kitchen screaming and crying. We got in the car and drove to Melbourne.’
After five hours on the road, the parents received a call from Matthew Hyland, of Victorian Jockeys, to confirm that their son had died.
“It has completely changed our world,” Mr. Holland said. “Lucy (Dean’s wife) and the kids are having a pretty rough time. The kids are young… and don’t really know what’s going on. Everyone is so upset. It was a sleepless night. Nobody slept.’
Mr Holland added that he blamed no one after his son’s tragic accident.
“It was just a one-time thing, there’s not really much we can do about it,” he said. “It’s just one of those things.”
A joint statement from the family on Tuesday read: ‘We are aware of thousands sharing our pain as we come to the reality that we have a once in a lifetime person, a much loved partner, a wonderful father of four beautiful young children. lost. in Harley, Luca, Frankie and Lily, as well as a special brother and a wonderful son.
“The outpouring of love for Dean and the care and support for us helps us cope with our loss.
“We think of Dean’s colleagues in the jockey room and everyone in our industry he loved so much.
“Finally, as a family, we ask that we be given the privacy we need at this time as we begin to process our loss.”
His parents – Darren and Belinda – paid tribute to their once in a lifetime son
Holland’s death comes just over a month after his last career highlight.
He rode the filly In Secret to victory in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap at Flemington on 11 March, having only taken up the ride after fellow rider Jamie Kah was injured in a race fall earlier that afternoon.
It was his second and most prestigious top-level win, having first won in Adelaide 13 years earlier.
Holland achieved 1080 race wins during his career and was in the best form of his career.