- Logan Steinwede was only twenty when he died
- The Foran family wants his death to be the catalyst for action
- Lifeline 13 11 14, beyond blue 1300 22 4636
NRL star Kieran Foran and his wife Karina have drawn attention to Australia's suicide crisis, sparked by the tragic death of their child and aspiring professional surfer Logan Steinwede.
Logan, Kieran's stepson and Karina's son, took his life while in the company of his grandparents on the New South Wales central coast, just 24 hours after the Forans celebrated a highlight of Kieran's rugby league career .
The family's off-season holiday to Melbourne following New Zealand's remarkable win over the Kangaroos in the Pacific Championship final on November 4 was abruptly halted by the heartbreaking news of Logan's tragic death.
Despite struggling with the painful loss of a child and stepchild, the Forans are steadfast in their determination to bring about change.
According to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 8.6 Australians die by suicide every day, with men about three times more likely to take their own lives than women.
Logan Steinwede aspired to become a professional surfer before he tragically passed away at the age of 20
Foran, centre, had just won the Pacific Championship final with New Zealand when he received the tragic news
The Forans want Logan's death to be the catalyst for change and for action to be taken to prevent more lives being lost
Now the Forans want Logan's legacy to serve as a catalyst in the collective effort to protect Australia's vulnerable population from the scourge of suicide.
“We can't change what happened, but we can change the future,” Kieran told News Corp.
“We have to be okay when we're not okay. It's not about needing to talk more, it's about being okay and completely vulnerable and broken. Saying 'I'm not doing well' is not enough.
'At times when we are extremely vulnerable, in pain and thinking about life and death, we must ask for help.
“Everything can be resolved… apart from bringing someone back.”
Karina remembered her son as a gentle soul who loved the beach.
“Logan was angry, always angry,” Karina said.
“Fearless, fun, happy, uplifting… he would light up a room and anyone's world. He was energetic and always busy.
“He was a big, tough guy. A bull at the gate. He played footy but surfing was the best for him.
'It was surfing before anything else. If the swell was good, he would be taken out of school. He lived and breathed it. He spent more time in the water than out of it.
“He got on a board when he was three and that's all he really did. He needed that, because he was someone who had to keep busy.'
Foran is one of the pallbearers at Logan Steinwede's funeral on the Gold Coast earlier this month
Karina Foran described her son as a happy, gentle soul who loved being near the beach
Kieran and Karina married in 2018 and became a family of eight children, including Logan.
Kieran spoke about his connection with Logan, who followed him to the Gold Coast when he signed for the Titans from the Bulldogs.
“I saw a lot of similarities,” Kieran said.
'He was very driven and dedicated, a byproduct of his upbringing, and full of energy. He could throw me on his shoulders and run up the stairs. He was as strong as an ox.
“I missed the early years of his life, but for the past seven years I have been part of him being nothing but a beautiful, happy child who grew into a young man.”
Lifeline 13 11 14
Beyondblue 1300 22 4636