Shane Warne’s funeral: Jackson’s touching gesture as farewell attracts guest list of high-profile, close family and friends
Shane Warne’s son paid tribute to his father with a touching act when the cricket legend was farewelled at a moving funeral.
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Devastated family and friends have gathered to farewell Shane Warne in a service that ended with a heartbreaking lap of honour at St Kilda’s home ground.
The cricket legend’s coffin was followed by a small group of people as the emotional Coldplay’s tune Fix You was played over loud speakers at the ground.
The haunting song’s lyrics include the line: “And the tears come streaming down your face”.
Warne’s children, Brooke, Jackson and Summer, paid a final touching tribute, walking behind his coffin during the lap of honour.
At one point Jackson was seen holding a golf club — Warne loved his golf — while he also held onto a white cricket ball in a touching tribute to his dad’s career.
Warne’s parents Keith and Brigitte also did the emotional walk.
Eddie McGuire asked the mourners to raise their glasses “to the sky” as they gave Warne three cheers after his coffin went around the ground.
Music featured prominently in the service and during the lap of honour, and included the song The Time of My Life from the movie Dirty Dancing, and Tina Turner’s Simpy the Best, which rang out as the hearse left the ground.
Warne’s coffin left St Kilda Football Club shortly after 12.45pm. There were no flowers on his casket and the only adornment was a St Kilda scarf.
Two black BMWs, believed to be carrying Warne’s family, followed the hearse out of the ground
An emotional Sam Newman said it was a fitting farewell to his beloved friend.
“His children and his close friends spoke, I don’t how they did it to be honest but they held themselves together,” he said.
“My friend Ed, he compered and handled it beautifully. It was about as good as you could get under the circumstances. “I hope that a hell of a lot of people come and pay their respects (at the memorial on March 30).”
McGuire described Warne’s family as magnificent.
“The family handled themselves with great dignity and decorum,’’ he said.
“As wonderful a send-off as I’ve been involved in. Chris Martin, in the middle of his world tour in Costa Rica (with Coldplay), last night he sent a unique and original piece of music, an instrumental called The Eulogy dedicated to Shane.
“It was so classy, sophisticated and touching. He’s also going to do a second version for the memorial.
“Ed Sheeran was quite emotional, too. The tears flowed freely, the laughs rang loudly.”
Former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan, a close friend of Warne, said the past week had “been turmoil for everyone”.
“I don’t think it’s just those who knew Shane, we all knew Shane … back in the UK I’ve had so many people who’ve never met him just coming up and saying this has hit us because he was just a great, great guy,” he said.
“Anyone that likes to have a few drinks, celebrate life, I guess there’s something about a personality that ends up on the front pages. The British public go ‘he’s one of us’.”
Earlier, McGuire, who led the service, described Warne as “Superman” — the man who could do anything with a cricket ball and who never forgot his mates.
Outside the venue, the television personality and close friend of Warne said people were struggling to cope with his loss.
“He brought together so many things,” McGuire said.
“The reason why he was so loved is because he was fallible. He was Superman. You threw the ball to Warne, you sat in that Southern Stand and he did the things you dreamt of doing as a kid.
“He had the hat trick, took 700 wickets, the Gatting ball, he did everything. He did the things like wow, I wonder what it would be like to be a playboy in London society.”
McGuire said Warne loved St Kilda, so it was fitting his funeral would be held at the club.
Every mourner was given a Saints scarf.
“The magic part about Shane Warne was that he sprinkled his gold dust everywhere he went,” McGuire said.
“He didn’t become a hermit, He brought his friends into everything in life.”
McGuire said Warne was famously himself.
“He would go to Michelin-star restaurants and order pizza in,” he said.
“He could walk with kings but never forgot those who walked around the streets of Melbourne.”
The cricket legend’s parents, Keith and Brigitte Warne, arrived at the service shortly after 10am.
Former Australian cricketers Allan Border, Mark Taylor, Merv Hughes and Mark Waugh also attended.
Lloyd Williams, the Melbourne Cup-winning owner, former St Kilda player Steven Baker and Warne’s manager Helen Nolan were among the first guests to arrive.
Ian Healy, who was Warne’s wicketkeeper when he played with Australia, arrived with an overnight bag and was seen chatting with former Australian captain Michael Clarke.
Comedian Glenn Robbins was also at the funeral, as well as St Kilda president Andrew Bassat, bowler Glenn McGrath, Aaron Hamill, the former Saint who was pictured in some of Warne’s tributes, former Hawthorn and Gold Coast player Campbell Brown, and Fox Sports journalist Mark Howard.
Earlier, a heartbroken Elizabeth Hurley paid tribute to her former fiance after not being able to make the trip to Melbourne for his funeral.
Hurley shared new pictures of the couple celebrating their engagement, which she described as the “happiest time”.
“My heart aches that I can’t be in Australia for Shane’s funeral. I was filming last night and, with the time jump, physically can’t get there,” Hurley wrote on social media.
“These pictures were taken in Sri Lanka to celebrate our engagement — we had all our children with us and it was the happiest time.
“It still hasn’t really sunk in that he’s gone. It seems too cruel that all the people who loved him will never have another Lion hug, but our memories will live forever. RIP Lionheart, with love your Luna.”
Hurley was engaged to the cricket legend for more than two years until they split in December 2013.
She previously paid tribute to Warne after his death aged 52, saying “the sun has gone behind a cloud forever”.
Hurley’s son Damian also expressed his sadness with a heartfelt post, saying Warne was a “father figure”.
“I’m still trying to wrap my head around this … SW was a father figure to me for most of my formative years and was truly one of the best men I’ve ever known,” the 19-year-old actor and model posted on Instagram.
“My heart is broken. Thinking of and sending love to all SW’s family.”
Elizabeth has sent her love to Warne’s children, Brooke, 24, Jackson, 22, and Summer, 20, who have all posted memories of their father.
She was one of the two great loves of his life: his childhood sweetheart and mother of children Simone Callahan and Hurley, the glamorous British rose.
A source close to the Warne family said: “The family has been touched by all the love and support they have received from around the world”.
The private service comes before a state memorial at the MCG on March 30, where up to 50,000 people are expected to attend.
New details have emerged about the public memorial. Greta Bradman, granddaughter of Sir Donald Bradman, will sing the national anthem.
Coldplay’s Chris Martin will send a musical tribute. Sir Elton John and Ed Sheeran will also send messages.
Tickets for the public memorial are likely to be available as early as Tuesday, with the state government to make formal announcements.
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Originally published as Shane Warne’s funeral: Jackson’s touching gesture as farewell attracts guest list of high-profile, close family and friends
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