AFL 2020: Gary Ablett Sr opens up on the death of Alisha Horan

Gary Ablett Sr has broken his silence on the death of Alisha Horan saying he wished he’d died instead, but her family have rejected his comments.

Gary Ablett Sr has opened up about his struggle with drugs.

Gary Ablett Snr has revealed he once wished he had died in place of Alisha Horan in a tragic incident that he “still grieves ... to this day”.

The former Geelong superstar has opened up on the public life that he conceded has “been extremely tough at times”, and said the 2000 hotel room death of Horan “broke me as a person”.

Horan, then 20, died from a drug overdose and Ablett was charged and convicted of four drug offences after what police described as a “bender” by the pair.

And Ablett said what had occurred two decades ago had “shattered” him.

“It’s been extremely tough at times,” he said of his life in the spotlight in an interview with Reclink Australia.

“(I’ll be) really transparent and honest, there’s been times, especially when, with moral failure some 20 years ago where I was involved in drugs and there was a young lady that overdosed … all that kind of stuff.

“I can’t tell you how much that shattered me, how much it broke me as a person. It still grieves me to this day.

“It’s only been my relationship with Jesus Christ that has got me through … because of his unconditional love and acceptance and knowing that if I repent and I’m genuinely sorry for what I’ve done, he forgives me because he’s paid for it all on the cross. Without him, I couldn’t have kept going.”

Ablett said the incident had left him wanting to have died in Horan’s place.

“After that happened I didn’t want to be here for a number of years and I said to God, ‘I wish … you should have taken me instead’,” he said.

Gary Ablett during the inquest into the drug overdose death of Alisha Horan in 2001.

“It’s been a very painful experience.

“If only I could go back in time and change things, I would. Unfortunately we don’t get that opportunity.”

But the father of Alisha Horan told the media on Tuesday he was “sickened” by the comments and had yet to receive and apology from Ablett.

Alan Horan reportedly described the footballer as a “lying bastard” and hoped Ablett was “still suffering”, according to 7News.

Mr Horan said he now wanted to put Ablett behind him.

The Australian Football Hall of Fame member said he believed “we’re all dysfunctional to some degree”.

Ablett, now 59, said he was always “learning” but “I’ve got a long way to go”, and could understand the position of those who want to “escape reality” by using alcohol and drugs to deal with mental health issues or emotional pain.

“God’s brought me a long way, but I’m learning … that’s why choices in life are so important because once we’ve made a choice or a decision, we don’t get the chance to go back in time and change it,” he said in the Facebook interview.

“Obviously the temptation with drugs, alcohol…I fully understand what it’s like to be in pain. Nobody likes to be in pain.

Gary Ablett Jnr and Gary Ablett Snr together after the 2009 Grand Final.

“The problem is, when we do that, and the drugs wear off, the alcohol wears off, we not only wake up with a hangover, but our problems are back worse than ever … because what we’ve done while on the drugs or on the drink, adds more pain to our lives. It’s so important … the company that we keep. That we’re hanging out with people that are going to lead us in the right direction.

“Once we’ve made decisions in life, we have to bear the consequences of those decisions – we can’t go back and change them. So we need to make sure we get our decisions right the first time. That’s been a big lesson for me. But I just wish I had known a lot earlier.”

Ablett has recently begun working with a charity to deliver groceries to those in need - with a few recipients getting a surprise along the way.

“For many years now, whether it’s playing football or working jobs for money… you know, you can do all that, but my heart is really with helping and serving people,” the 248-game forward said.

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“I’ve recently had the pleasure, over the last four or five months, to be able to join in voluntarily with a charitable organisation to help out with delivering groceries for needy families.”

“No, they don’t (know who’s coming), and boy am I glad! Although, it’s funny, word got around that Gary Ablett was delivering groceries… I think a few of them started calling up asking for groceries just so they could get a photo with me. Once they got their photo they rang up and went off the list again.”

He said he has finally learned to embrace being recognised.

“It doesn’t really bother me anymore, I’ve got to the point where, if people recognise me and they want to say g’day… if I can be a blessing to them and give them a bit of a thrill, well that’s a real pleasure for me. I really find that quite rewarding,” he said.

Originally published as AFL 2020: Gary Ablett Sr opens up on the death of Alisha Horan