‘It doesn’t feel real’: Wife’s goodbye to funny, devoted dad killed at football game

The wife of a man killed in a sportsground scaffolding collapse has described the tragedy of not being able to say goodbye, and the unusual circumstances which led her husband to the wrong place at the wrong time.

Andy Jones who died while watching a football game at Mitchelton Football Club leaves behind his wife Rhianne (pictured) and four children. Photo: Contributed

The wife of Andy Jones has described the heartbreaking moment she arrived at Mitchelton Football Club and the unusual circumstances which led her husband to stand underneath the scaffolding that killed him.

Rhianne Jones received the worst call of her life on Sunday after her 37-year-old husband was involved in the freak incident while watching his son Aaron play football.

She arrived at Teralba Park to find Aaron’s team watching as Mr Jones was placed into an ambulance.

“How it happened was just so weird,” Mrs Jones said.

“He volunteered to be groundsman that day which he had never done before.

“He was standing in a different spot which he would never usually be standing in.

“And the structure that fell was a temporary thing. It’s not even there all the time.”

Rhianne Jones has paid tribute to her devoted husband Andy.

Mrs Jones said she drove to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital where her husband was taken.

She didn’t get to say goodbye before he was pronounced dead.

“When we got to the hospital they had already taken him into the theatre,” Mrs Jones said.

“Then the doctors all came down and told us he was gone.”

The football enthusiast had succumbed to his injuries from the collapsed scaffolding which was used as a platform by camera operators.

Wind gusts of 70km/h were recorded by the Bureau of Meteorology at Brisbane Airport on Sunday.

“I might have anger for what’s happened down the track but at the moment I am too numb to feel any kind of emotion like that,” Mrs Jones said.

Andy Jones died when scaffolding collapsed while watching his son play soccer.

She visited the morgue on Monday to say goodbye to the love of her life.

Mrs Jones said didn’t think her husband realised just how loved he was and she wanted him to know.

The couple had been together for 11 years and were due to celebrate their eighth wedding anniversary on August 8.

Mr Jones has also left behind four adored children Aaron, Sienna, Leila and Vivienne.

His wife described him as her best friend and a fun dad with no shortage of “silly dad jokes”.

“One of his favourite games at the dinner table was ‘let’s all go around the table and say something that we love about dad’,” she said.

“He was really devoted.

“He was on the sidelines of football games every weekend cheering his son and daughter on.”

The Bridgeman Downs dad loved that he shared his passion with his children and often volunteered as a linesman or assistant coach.

Mrs Jones said Mitchelton Football Club had reached out to the family every day since the tragedy unfolded in front of Aaron’s team.

She said Aaron and his dad idolised each other.

“He is doing okay,” Mrs Jones said.

“The soccer club put on a group counselling session for Aaron and all the players and parents on Tuesday night.

“All the boys went out on the field and had a kick around and I think after that, Aaron realised he wanted to play for his dad this weekend.”

Andy Jones died when scaffolding collapse / fell over while watching his son play soccer at Mitchelton on Sunday Picture Facebook

Three separate fundraisers have been created to support Mr Jones’ family including a pledge from the Mitchelton City League squads to run the Bridge to Brisbane next month.

The family had been overwhelmed by the support and didn’t realise just how many lives Mr Jones had touched.

“It’s so incredible but so confronting at the same time,” Mrs Jones said.

“It doesn’t feel real, it doesn’t seem like that’s my Andy.

“It’s so weird to be seeing it on the news, you just never think something like this would happen to you.”

Mr Jones was four weeks into a new job with SPS Facilities at Windsor which he was ecstatic to land.

He previously worked as a senior constable with Queensland Police and as a sergeant for the London Metropolitan Police.

It had been more than two years since he had seen his UK-based family who are looking for flights to get to Brisbane as soon as they can.

Mrs Jones said it seemed like the family would be successful in obtaining a travel exemption on compassionate grounds.

All fixtures at Teralba Park are set to go ahead this weekend beginning on Friday night with Mr Jones over-35s team.

A minute’s silence be held before each game in his honour.