The woman who helped save Ben Cousins from the brink

Before Brownlow night nobody had heard of the glamorous blonde on the arm of Ben Cousins, but she’s credited with helping to save his life.

It’s Monday morning after the Brownlow. It hasn’t even hit 7am and the scaffolding work site in Perth is deserted, except for one man.

Ben Cousins.

The biggest party boy in the game in his previous life would have just been settling in to one of his notorious three-day benders.

But not today.

One of his benders resulted in a boozie-biathlon-bolt as the premiership hero swam across Perth’s Swan River to escape the fuzz.

But not today.

Another was when police found him sprawled near Melbourne’s Yarra River, shirtless and mumbling to be taken back to “Eve nightclub.”

Cousins in the back of a police car.

Cousins being arrested in WA in 2007.

The only way the cops could identify the drug addled mess was by the tattoo of Ned Kelly’s final words inked across his six pack: “Such Is Life.”

Such a waste of life was what his friends and family thought after saving him for the “15 billionth time”.

But not today.

That narrative finally changed this week when Cuz stepped onto the ruby-red Brownlow rug.

The fallen footballer scrubbed up real good. The haircut helped. It also helps when you are that good looking.

And it really helped with a glamorous blonde, the lady in red, hitting all the right buttons as his plus-one.

Cousins with best friend Kelley at the Brownlow. Picture: Getty

FIFO worker and gourmet food caterer Kelley Fergus and Cousins have been friends for years.

She believed in him when all the others had finally given up.

“She has always been prepared to help,” said one of Cousins’ Perth inner circle this week after Page 13 came calling.

“It’s not pleasant having someone around you who is in a terrible state. He burnt a lot of people along the way.

“But Kel has stuck by him, they have been great mates. She is a fantastic girl.”

A “ripper of a chick” is how Fergus is described by many.

She met Cousins through their mutual friend, colourful Perth racing identity Kim Hunter. The trio have been tight ever since.

“Kelley is a very close friend of mine. She is a fantastic girl. She is a ripper,” Hunter says, doubling down on the love-in.

“She is a great girl who has helped him a lot. But, no, they are not in a relationship.”

Fergus is credited with supporting Cousins when others abandoned hope he could recover.

Kim Hunter with Kelley Fergus, who is credited with “helping Cousins a lot” but friends say they're not in a relationship.

Hunter and Cousins are besties. The former bookmaker has been there for the AFL footy great since before things unravelled.

Cousins’ fly-on-the-wall documentary, Such Is Life, was filmed at Hunter’s house. Put frankly, he has seen it all.

“I didn’t think he would get to the stage he is at now. I am more than pleasantly surprised,” Hunter said.

“Absolutely surprised, thrilled and stunned and so bloody proud, to tell you the truth.

“The key was that with anything he tried he was addicted to it, whether it was good or bad, or just strange.

“We would go and get a roll for lunch and he would never have butter on it and still wouldn’t to this day, because he is such a fitness freak, yet later that night, bang...

“I’m just so proud of his recovery. We all are. His illness almost killed his parents who are just the best people you have ever met.

“I have to say a little bit of credit goes to Kelley and his family.

“He has been to every rehab place in the universe, every swami, every genius you can think of. But until he wanted to turn it around himself, he couldn’t.”

Cousins and Dustin Martin at Richmond training in 2019.

Former Tigers teammates Cousins and Jake King in 2010. Picture: Getty

Cuz’s best mate confirmed Cousins is only focused on one relationship right now. His two children.

“His addiction at the moment is working and being with his kids,” Hunter said.

Cousins’ nine-year-old son Bobby is a mad Tigers fan.

Many remember the Brownlow medallist in the yellow and blue in his West Coast Eagles days, but it was the yellow and black that Cousins credits in his turn around.

He goes down on bended knee for the Richmond Football Club for giving him a second chance when no other club would take him.

The Tigers were helping him again this week with CEO Brendan Gale securing tickets to Saturday’s Grand Final for Cousins, son Bobby and daughter Angelique.

“I think his last stint in jail was a wake-up, his children getting older and at an age now where it would really hurt them as they would understand what was happening,” says Hunter.

“I think that is what turned him around, He had an awakening.

“But only one person could save Ben.

“And that’s Ben himself.”