- Murphy revealed that her sister died of a heart attack
- She later burned an unopened letter from her family
- She explained that she didn’t want to be distracted
Australian rugby star Mahalia Murphy has opened up about a devastating personal tragedy and burned an unread letter from her family in the latest episode of SAS Australia.
The talented rugby player, who has represented her country in both the association and competition, laid bare the emotional impact of losing her sister when she was just 13.
Seven sports commentator Abbey Holmes asked Murphy about the heartbreaking tragedy as the pair sat by a campfire during Monday night’s episode of the show.
“What happened to your sister… if I may ask?” Holmes asked Murphy.
Murphy didn’t shy away from the sad truth: “Oh, she had a heart attack. She was only 24.”
Mahalia Murphy revealed the impact losing her sister to a heart attack had on her family
The football star’s sister died under shocking circumstances when Mahalia was only 13
Holmes: ‘Had a heart attack at age 24. Oh s***.”
Murphy: ‘Yes, she was on a lot of medication. She came to Sydney for about a week because she had to go to the hepatologist, a liver specialist, because her liver was bleeding.
“And that week she died before the appointment… at home.”
Holmes: ‘Just at home?’
Murphy: ‘Yes.’
Holmes: ‘I’m so sorry. That’s horrible.’
Murphy: ‘It sucked.’
Murphy then revealed the brutal impact her sister’s tragic death had on her mother.
Murphy later burned an unopened letter from her family because she didn’t want to be distracted while participating in the TV show
The 29-year-old (pictured left, playing rugby union for Australia against England)
“My poor mother suffered a lot, like she even lost the daughter at birth after that… a few days after birth. Dominique, her name was,” she said.
Holmes: ‘What a traumatic time for your mother.’
Murphy: ‘Yes.’
Later in the same episode, lead SAS instructor Ant Middleton gave the contestants handwritten letters from their families and loved ones.
Middleton said it was up to them whether they wanted to read the letters, explaining that he would not allow any distractions in his mind while he was busy with “operations.”
All participants chose to read the letters at home, except Murphy.
She decided to burn her letter in the campfire, explaining afterwards that she loved her family but could be “very easily distracted.”
“If you lose focus you can go off track and I want to be at the end and I will do everything I can to be at the end,” she said.
Murphy later told the others that she believed the letter was from her mother and that she knew it would have had an impact on her.