Ruby Princess coronavirus fiasco: Adelaide widow of cruise passenger who died after ill-fated trip issues heartfelt plea against complacency
The wife of an Adelaide grandfather who died after catching coronavirus on the ill-fated Ruby Princess cruise ship believes her husband’s death can serve as a tragic reminder.
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Roger Leaney was a loving family man, keen traveller, widely respected community stalwart and successful netball umpire who loved to tell a story or keep busy with handyman projects.
The 74-year-old was an active northeastern suburbs father of two, and grandfather of four, who was so risk-averse that he refused to place himself, or loved ones, in harm’s way.
His grieving family, led by widow Veronica, 72, have paid tribute to the “lovely man”, one of two Adelaide passengers who died after contracting coronavirus on the ill-fated Ruby Princess ship.
Mr Leaney, who retired aged 45 as a train diesel fitter, became the state’s fourth COVID-19 death on April 11 after losing a 10-day fight for his life in the Royal Adelaide Hospital’s intensive care unit, having suffered catastrophic organ failure.
His devastated family, including two adult children, Jo Tonkin, 50, of Modbury, and Cheryl Ogden, 49, of Norwood, have spoken out to “honour” him after the pandemic prevented them from hosting a funeral.
His wife of almost 52 years, a retired switchboard operator who now volunteers in a charity shop, has also broken her public silence to warn of the dangers of complacency.
“He was a busy, active man and for him to finish this way is unfair,” Mrs Leaney told the Sunday Mail yesterday at the Valley View home they built in 1968 shortly after marrying.
“It is hard to reconcile and deal with. We knew that COVID was happening but … we thought going down to New Zealand, we were travelling away from it and we were safe.
“This was actually going to be our last cruise; we were going to concentrate on caravanning. A lot comes with the loss of a person who has been in your life for 52 years.
“We were a great team. We did everything together. We complemented each other in so many ways, and now he has gone from my life.”
Mr Leaney, who adored grandchildren Auburn, 20, Jess, 19, Darcy, 18, and James, 17, having babysat them from a young age, was well-known in the state’s netball community.
He umpired up to 17 games a week, was president of the Valley Panthers Netball Club and coached countless teams.
Among hundreds of condolence messages were those from former players over the past 30 years and a personal, handwritten note from Premier Steven Marshall as well as one from local MP Frances Bedford.
Mr Leaney looked after his health and fitness by going to the gym three times a week, playing two rounds of golf every Tuesday and enjoying summer bowls. Every day around 4.30pm he and his wife would share a glass of wine and a cheese platter.
Mrs Ogden, a medical typist, said: “We were such a happy, family unit. And now there is a piece missing. It’s not fair, it’s been taken out of his hands. He would have never gone on that ship if there was any risk.”
During the week, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian “unreservedly” apologised after a scathing inquiry condemned a series of “monumental mistakes”.
Mrs Leaney, who was also among 89 SA-based passengers to contract COVID-19 in what is SA Health’s biggest local cluster, is part of a global class action lawsuit over claims the ship’s operator should have cancelled the trip.
Mrs Leaney, who is critical of NSW Health for not placing passengers into quarantine, fell ill first on March 20, the day after returning home with a cough, headache and aches.
They both then suffered gastro, but Mr Leaney had no other symptoms. A few days later, he collapsed in the middle of the night and was rushed by ambulance to hospital.
“As they took him away, there was no way I would have ever imagined I would never see him again. That was it,” Mrs Leaney said.
“While in the COVID ward … I chatted to him daily on the phone and he just sounded tired, but he wasn’t breathless.
“The last time we spoke he said ‘They’re bringing in a machine to test my respiration and it’s a little bit noisy, so I’m going to have to hang up and I’ll speak to you later’.
“Well, they rushed him down to ICU immediately after the test, and I never got to speak to him again.
“He went downhill very quickly. It was such a shock to get the call that he was in ICU. I couldn’t believe it.”
The family hoped Mr Leaney would pull through, but after several days in an induced coma, his organs failed.
The family wants to publicly thank the ICU “angels” and the local community for their support. Mrs Tonkin, an executive assistant, is liaising with Salisbury Council to install a memorial bench in a Dry Creek park.
Originally published as Ruby Princess coronavirus fiasco: Adelaide widow of cruise passenger who died after ill-fated trip issues heartfelt plea against complacency