‘Life sucked out’: Super Netball star Hannah Mundy opens up on her family’s heartbreaking experience with MND

Hannah Mundy’s family is one of thousands of Australians impacted by the insidious motor neurone disease. This is her family’s heartbreaking story.

Midcourt star Hannah Mundy has opened up on her family’s experience with motor neurone disease and the heartbreak of watching the “life get sucked out” of her grandfather during his short battle with the condition.

Mundy’s grandpa, Graeme, the father of her former Diamond mum Shelley O’Donnell, died of MND in 2023 – just 14 months after he was first diagnosed.

The Melbourne Vixens’ mid-courter ace said seeing the impact of the disease first-hand had been challenging for the family, especially how quickly it took hold.

Melbourne Vixens netballer Hannah Mundy aged 18 in 2019 with her grandpa Graeme, who died from MND in 2023. Picture: Supplied.

“My grandpa got diagnosed in 2022 and then passed away the following year,” Mundy said.

“Seeing the disease first-hand was quite stark for our family and seeing the effects that it has – it’s quite sudden – was really hard.

“Initially, he was still living at home and grandma was taking care of him …. but we saw the effects of it quite quickly and soon he went into care.

“It was quite hard for me and my cousins to visit him and see almost the life get sucked out of him.

“He did have his almost cheeky little grin thereabouts, but it did really show that the disease is quite horrific and it was really hard to see first hand.”

O’Donnell, who played 84 Test matches for Australia, said the family was aware what it was “up against it” as soon as her father was diagnosed.

Shelley O’Donnell representing Australia at the 1999 Netball World Cup. Picture: Phil Walter/Getty Images

Former AFL player, coach and Australian of the Year, Neale Daniher has led the battle against MND while fighting the disease himself. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“It was a very sad time for the family,” O’Donnell said.

“Obviously with the Danihers creating awareness around MND over the last 11 years, you knew about it. So, when he was actually diagnosed and MND was mentioned we knew exactly what we were up against.

“It was a really hard time for us because we knew what happens and you could look into the diagnosis and see what the future was.

“We knew that there was only going to be three years – if that – and then sadly he passed away 14 months after diagnosis.”

Mundy with her mum, Shelley O’Donnell. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Daniel Pockett

Graeme, a former footballer himself, was 85 when he died and O’Donnell said watching someone with his verve for life deteriorate suddenly had been heartbreaking.

“Mum and dad were both very sporty as kids themselves and played high-level sport, netball and football, and used to put so much into us and give us so much that we needed for our sporting lives and encouraged us along the way,” O’Donnell said.

“Then to watch someone that you hold really highly, you don’t think that anything could ever beat someone like that. He even had his hips re-done a couple of years earlier and thought he was a million bucks and I think he wanted to go play footy again.

O'Donnell and Mundy, supporting the Fight MND cause. Picture: Michael Barker

“His eyes would light up when the grandkids walked into the room and all he wanted to do was talk to them, but we did most of the talking.

“He certainly wasn’t conversing a lot towards the end because I think it was just too hard for him to swallow and hard for him to get it out. Mum was there every day feeding him as he couldn’t feed himself.

“It was just a real shock for the family to watch him go from being the way he was to really just losing so much over those 14 months.”

The Vixens and Mavericks will again support the Fight MND cause for their Super Netball derby on Sunday at John Cain Arena, which Mundy said would add “extra significance” to the match for her and her family.

Mundy remembered her grandpa as someone who “lit up a room” when he walked in and who had proudly “followed all of his grandkids around”.

“He and grandma used to drive me to VIS gym back in the day when mum and dad were at work and they would sit in the car the whole time and wait to drive me home,” Mundy said.

“He came to a lot of sporting games and I am one of 12 grandkids …. so it was whoever was next in turn to go watch.

“He got to my first year playing SSN and then Covid happened so he didn’t come to many after that, but he would be super proud of me.”

Originally published as ‘Life sucked out’: Super Netball star Hannah Mundy opens up on her family’s heartbreaking experience with MND