The funeral for Ironman great Dean Mercer will be held on the Gold Coast next week but the challenge is finding a venue large enough.
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Fellow Wollongong Ironman Phil Clayton has spoken to Ironmen all over Australia following the shock news about Mercer’s sudden death after a cardiac arrest and car crash on Monday. They all said they are coming.
“I don’t think people realise how big it is actually going to be. A lot of venues won’t be able to take it. So they are just trying to find somewhere they can fit everyone. He has been such special guy throughout the whole surf life saving community. He is so well respected it is going to be a very big gathering.”
Mercer is regarded as such a great that Clayton said he was ranked in the same household name status as Grant Kenny, Trevor Hendy and Guy Leech. “He deserves that 100 per cent. On a personal note he was six years older and what Dean did for me was he made me realise that it didn’t matter how big you were. I was never a big person against Hendy, Scott Reeves, Jonathan Crowe and Leechy. Dean put the notion in my head that it didn’t matter how big you were. It mattered how much you believe in yourself and what you thought you could do.”
What Clayton will remember most about his Thirroul Ironman mate is his “laugh and his tenacity”. “In later years when we became even better friends and would go out and have a beer we would have a good laugh and tell stories. I tell you what he made me laugh a lot. I have some very fond memories of some wonderful stories that I am going to be reliving at Kurrawa Surf Club.”
On Wednesday night there was a memorial at the club organised by Clayton that was attended by more than 200 people. “It wasn’t just me. Everyone wanted to catch up and talk about what a good mate he was and celebrate his life”.
Clayton recalled how he first met Dean and Darren when he was swimming at Unanderra pool as an eight year old in 1984 under coach Rick McKeon. He has known both brothers well for 33 years and said they both inspired his career. They have all remained in regular contact on the Gold Coast.
Which is why Clayton got so emotional when another Ironman mate told him the news on Monday morning.
“I was at work and a good friend of mine, former world Ironman champion Nathan Meyer, rang up and said he had some terrible news. “I hung up really quickly because it really hit me hard. Then I rang him back. I was really emotional. We both broke down a bit on the phone,” he said.
Clayton said after Dean moved to the Gold Coast, from Maroochydore where he competed for a while, they both worked together. “I was lucky enough to be the head coach and he was the deputy coach at Kurrawa for some years. We were mates from Wollongong working alongside each other and trying to pass on what we had learnt through surf lifesaving back as young kids.”
Clayton said his family and Dean’s also hung out regularly. And their children knew each other well. He said he had spoken to Darren this week and looked forward to seeing Reen and the four boys Braydon, Joshua, Lachlan, and Rory when they were ready.
Clayton said there was likely to be a second memorial on the Gold Coast which will take the form of a paddle-out. “He was a very big figure here at Kurrawa Surf Club. They had a bit of a debrief for all the kids on Tuesday night and it was great to see hundreds turn up to have a counselling session. He just meant so much to them. He was such a wonderful guy.”
Thirroul Memorial:
Thirroul Surf Life Saving Club is planning a memorial service for Dean Mercer who is a life member of the club.
Mercer’s surf life saving and stellar Ironman career started at the the Thirroul club.
In a post on its website this week the directors advise that a date will be announced soon for the service for the 47 year old champion who died on the Gold Coast on Monday.
His old club described the local sporting legend as a tenacious competitor who won many championships at Illawarra, NSW, Australian and World carnivals.
“His involvement within the surf life saving movement was inspirational. He will be sadly missed by his many friends both in and outside the surfing fraternity. Thirroul SLSC will be holding a memorial service, the date of which will be shortly advised. The hearts of the Thirroul SLSC executive, committee and members go out to Dean, his family and extended family.”
The Illawarra Mercury will publish the date in print and online as soon as it has been announced by Thirroul Surf Life Saving Club.
Related stories:
- Jonathan Crowe devastated by the loss of his Ironman mate Dean Mercer who died after his car ran off the road on the Gold Coast on Monday morning
- Dean Mercer dead after Gold Coast crash
- Illawarra’s outpouring of grief for champion Dean Mercer
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