Victoria AFL coach Danny Riddle faces cruel incurable diagnosis

An avid runner, football coach and business owner has months left to live after being diagnosed with an extremely rare brain disease. Until only a few weeks ago all seemed well for the much-loved family man who had moved from Victoria to start a new life.

An avid runner, football coach, business owner and beloved family man has received a one in a million diagnosis leaving him with months to live.

A Moreton dad, who moved his family from Victoria to begin a new life, has been given months to live after being diagnosed with a brain disease doctors call “the cruellest way to go”.

Danny Riddle, 52, a keen runner, businesses owner, respected sports coach and family man was recently diagnosed Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), an untreatable illness caused by a “rogue’’ protein which affects only one person in a million.

It causes loss of bodily functions, dementia and eventually death.

Close family friend Alarna Bell said Mr Riddle was working every day at his caravan business and was very active until just one month ago.

Mr Riddle and his wife Melissa.

“He was as fit as a fiddle at the beginning of March, then he began suffering memory loss, confusion and a loss of hearing,” Ms Bell said.

“He went to the doctor and after a process of elimination through multiple tests doctors diagnosed him with the disease.

“It is progressing very quickly. Shortly after his first symptom he started having involuntary motions, hallucinations and trouble with his vision.’’

Ms Bell said Mr Riddle had until then never had major health problems in his life.

“He has never taken medication or been unwell before,” Ms Bell said.

“Two days ago he was talking and eating banana bread, now his condition has worsened.’’

Mr Riddle and his family.

In a testament to how deeply Mr Riddle touched the lives of others, since he was admitted to hospital more than 60 people have visited him from interstate.

And a GoFundMe page set up by his family this week attracted nearly $60,000 in the first 24 hours. It raised another $35,000 overnight on April 11.

Little is known about CJD other than it is caused by mistakes in the folding of some proteins, preventing them from functioning normally.

Usually they are recycled by the body and cause no harm, but sometimes they become “infectious’’.

These defective proteins, called prions, can build up in the brain and destroy brain cells.

Why this occurs is a mystery but it appears to be more common in people with specific versions of the prion protein gene.

Ms Bell described her friend as a “one in a million man”.

“Whether it is lending a listening ear, coaching kids at footy, offering a helping hand, or spreading kindness and laughter, wherever he goes Danny has touched countless lives with his generosity,” she said.

Mr Riddle and his wife of 23 years, Melissa, moved to Queensland only two years ago to live in the sunshine and provide a better life for their children.

“Moving to Queensland was a huge decision for Melissa and Danny, giving up the security of the life they had built in Victoria,” Ms Bell said.

Mr Riddle with players from the Combined Saints team in Traralgon, Victoria.

“This awful disease has stolen the dreams and hopes of them building this new life in Queensland, leaving Melissa without a home she owns for their family.

She said Mrs Riddle wished to remain in Queensland so their children here could continue their studies and apprenticeships.

“However, Melissa’s own health issues have rendered her unable to work in recent years, adding financial strain to their already overwhelming situation,” Ms Bell said.

“While the initial goal is set at $100,000, it would be the ultimate gift we can give to Danny — the peace of mind knowing that his family will be taken care of for years to come, even in his absence.’’

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