Father’s tribute to the kid everybody loved after school rowing tragedy

Melbourne Grammar School student Edward Millear left for school on Tuesday morning looking forward to rowing training with his teammates.

Hours later, the 17-year-old student “everyone loved” was in a critical condition after suffering a medical episode on a rowing machine at the school boat shed.

Melbourne Grammar student Edward Millear came from a long line of Melbourne Grammar graduates.

The talented sportsman died surrounded by family at The Alfred hospital early on Wednesday.

School staff and students who had rushed to his aid shed tears during an assembly later that day.

“Everybody loved the kid,” the teenager’s bereaved father, Spence Millear, said. “They all loved Eddy.”

Melbourne Grammar has a highly competitive rowing program and has produced 20 Olympians, including John Campbell who won silver and David Crawshay who won gold.

School teams were in training for the Associated Public Schools Head of the River rowing regatta, which is contested by 11 private schools, held in Nagambie next month.

The regatta, which dates back to 1868 and is considered the oldest continuous schoolboy rowing event, marks the end of the Associated Public Schools rowing season.

Tributes were left at the Melbourne Grammar boat shed for Edward Millear, the year 12 student who died during rowing training.Credit: Nine News

On Wednesday, Edward’s classmates, including rowing and rugby teammates, were encouraged to gather in the school hall for a prayer service.

School sport was cancelled and flags were flown at half-mast as the community tried to come to terms with the tragic loss of a member of the well-known family.

Members of the Millear family have attended the prestigious school since the late 1800s, and the family donated funding for a school building that opened in 1922. The donation for Millear Hall, now known as Millear Wing, was given after the safe return of a Millear from war.

A flag also flew at half-mast at the school’s Witherby Tower.

Melbourne Grammar headmaster Philip Grutzner said Edward was a hard-working and diligent student who was working towards a career in commerce.

“He was a cheerful, friendly and easygoing person who demonstrated great care and empathy for his fellow students,” he said.

Grutzner had rushed to the Simon Fraser Memorial Boat House on Tuesday following reports of the incident.

“It was evident that many other students who were present were distraught, and we took steps to help them at that time,” he said.

Grutzner offered support to the family on behalf of the school after visiting them in hospital this week.

Flags were flown at half-mast at the boat sheds along the Yarra River on Wednesday.Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui

Melbourne Grammar students were being encouraged to connect to school support services and to help one another.

“We recognise that each may respond to this tragic news in different ways,” Grutzner said. “The school has a strong pastoral care program, and we are drawing on all our expertise to ensure that each student is cared for and supported as they come to terms with the loss of their friend.”

Rowing School Victoria’s Sue Chapman-Popa said that after supporting the boy’s family, the next priority should be looking after the students and young coaches who witnessed the incident.

“We have to put our arms around the community. This has a huge rippling effect,” she said.

“Our community, as much as we wear different coloured uniforms, we are one.”

“Everybody will remember Ed Millear forever. He will never grow old. He will be a 12th-grader forever in their minds,” she said.

Philippe Gyles, 15, died while rowing on the ergo at Scotch College in 2002.

In 2002, a similar tragedy happened at Scotch College in Hawthorn, where 15-year-old Philippe Gyles died while at rowing training. His father, Stanley Gyles, said it was “quite raw, reliving that story”.

“Both Mary and I, my wife, know exactly what that family is going through,” he said.

The athletic and hugely popular teenager had collapsed on the machine from an aneurysm, and those around him ran to his assistance. He was also rushed to The Alfred hospital.

“They fought very hard to stem the bleeding in the brain,” Gyles said. But Philippe died in the intensive care unit.

Gyles said Philippe had captained his rugby club and school for four years and represented Victoria in every age group at state levels.

He believed it could happen to anybody at any time.

“There is no reason to suggest that stress doing a rowing ergo [on a machine] can facilitate an aneurysm,” he said.

He said he was stunned by the coincidence of the two boys at different schools, both in similar tragic circumstances.

Gyles’ obituary in 2002 in The Age described him as a “busy, happy, cheeky teenager” and a gifted athlete. His death meant a chance at a new life for six organ-transplant recipients in Australia and New Zealand.

Gyles’ father expressed his “profound sadness and sorrow” for Edward Millear’s family.

“We, as parents have been through the same ordeal; we stand side by side with them,” he said.

Melbourne Grammar has asked for privacy on behalf of the family and the school community.

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