‘In his own words, he was going home’: Rich lister Jonathan Hallinan has lost his cancer fight

Melbourne rich lister Jonathan Hallinan was “a man of no faith” until late last year but found peace as he died of cancer recently.

The grieving wife of Melbourne rich lister Jonathan Hallinan has offered an insight into the widely admired property developer’s brave battle with cancer, his bone marrow transplant, and the love that drove him to fight so valiantly to survive.

Hallinan, 47, lost his fight last week.

His wealth was estimated at $866m in The Australian’s Richest 250 in 2019.

“It was his children, family and the many people he loved that gave him reason to stay with us as long as he did,” Mikka Hallinan wrote on her social media platform.

Mikka, who wed Jonathan four months ago, said the dynamic businessman put every effort into recovering after receiving a bone marrow transplant from his sister in 2021.

“We thought 2021 was the worst of the battle, with Jonnie having to spend six weeks in hospital without one visitor due to the hospital’s covid restrictions,” Mikka wrote.

Jonathan Hallinan underwent a bone-marrow transplant in 2021 but passed away on Thursday. Picture: Aaron Francis

“We considered ourselves fortunate to be able to live a restricted life as he recovered, isolating due to Jonnie being immunocompromised during a pandemic.

“What I would give to have these days back with him.

“The day a patient received their transplant was considered a new birthday as their new immune system offered new hope, new life.

“The next 12 months we spent going to and from Peter MacCallum Cancer Center every other day for checkups, infusions and blood transfusions as we waited for Jon’s immune system to grow, occasionally requiring a Royal Melbourne Hospital stay to fight off infection or virus he picked up.

“I admired and was in awe every day of the strength, determination, and optimism that Jonnie showed in his life every single day, to get up and get going despite the chronic pain and exhaustion he was carrying so bravely and silently.”

Mikka said as Jonathan’s cancer journey progressed so did their relationship and they lived every day to the fullest.

“We looked hopefully towards the future,” she posted.

“One thing about Jonnie is that he was never, ever without a plan or future goal, be it with family, personal life, business or otherwise.

“He was always planning and striving to achieve.

“It was his children, family and the many people he loved that gave him reason to stay with us as long as he did.

“Putting their needs and happiness above his, his whole life, as that is what offered him his greatest fulfilment.

“I will be endlessly grateful to have had the privilege of loving him and having been loved by him in return.”

Mr Hallinan’s wealth in 2019 was estimated to be around $866 million. Picture: Aaron Francis

News of Hallinan’s death was met with an outpouring of sadness by Melbourne’s business and social elite.

His wife Mikka Hallinan paid an emotional and loving tribute to the entrepreneur whose developments include the Shadow Play tower in South Melbourne.

The couple wed just four months ago at their South Yarra penthouse.

“There was such a crazy thunderstorm yesterday morning (Thursday) in Melbourne. The darkest thunder and lightning, out of nowhere and as fast as it arrived, it left a clear sky behind,” Mikka wrote on Instagram.

“If you saw it, know it was the sky announcing to the heavens that @jonathanhallinan was coming. Jonnie passed in the storm yesterday morning. In his own words, Jonnie said he was going home.

“A man of no faith until late last year, he found a deep comfort in faith, especially while up late at night in hospital and now he is home to his “eternal bliss” as he called it.

“Three days ago, his doctor broke it to him that with a bacterial bug, chest infection, fevers of 39+ and overall unwellness from the level of his disease in his body, he wouldn’t be making the drug trial he was aiming for, the weight of all that Jonnie was carrying brought him one last time back to reality.

“He had 2 days of beautiful goodbyes with his close family, kids and I, after nearly 2 years of this cancer battle, before he left us for the sky, in true Jonnie style, arriving with a bang.”

Mikka said it had been an honour to love the dynamic developer and businessman.

“It was an absolute privilege to have been his wife and to have been able to love him and blend his family with my own,” she wrote.

“I am hurting so much more than I imagined, but I find comfort in knowing I helped him find true freedom, gave him the type of love most search their whole lives for and never get to experience, and lose his fear of dying to ultimately find his way home.

“Those who knew him also know that he packed so much accomplishment, adventure, achievement and fun into such a short time he was here, leaving an impact and legacy behind in more people than he would have ever imagined.”