Tributes flow after shock death of popular 26-year-old James Casey

Property tycoon and Essendon powerbroker Mark Casey made a mercy dash to New York after a night out turned to tragedy for his 26-year-old son James.

James Casey with his father, property tycoon and powerbroker Mark Casey. Picture: Supplied/ Casey family

Melbourne’s next-gen movers and rich-listers have been left reeling at the shock death of the much loved James Casey.

Son of property tycoon and powerbroker Mark Casey, who was once favoured to take on the role of Essendon footy club president, James Casey died in New York earlier this month.

The popular 26-year-old Geelong College graduate was living in the Big Apple working as part of the family’s privately-run Casey Capital.

Friends of the A-lister, including Essendon great James Hird and premiership hero Mark Harvey, group one winning jockey Mark Zahra, rich lister Alex Waislitz, PR doyenne Judy Romano, Bell Potter financial group director Hugh Robertson and cult jewellery designer to the stars Emma Abrahams (not to mention around 500 odd others) were expected at a celebration in his honour on Friday at St Kilda road’s The Commons Collective.

Casey’s father had just embarked on a European trip to oversee a new hotel development on Mykonos in Greece with his wife Samantha and young child when he was delivered the tragic news.

Mark Casey told Page 13 the phone call from New York via James’s good friend Fab Ippoliti, the son of “fertility queen” Dr Lynn Burmeister, was one no father should ever have to receive.

Making a mercy dash to New York, Casey said the family was devastated by his young son’s shock death.

He said James had been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as a 21-year-old after developing the disease following long term complications from a virus.

Young and carefree, Casey said his son never wanted the disease to rule his life and often went around absent mindedly without his insulin and epi pen.

Out drinking with friends in New York he suffered diabetic ketoacidosis and ultimately died.

Casey said his son’s death should not be in vain and serve as a warning to all diabetes sufferers, especially those diagnosed when young, to be vigilant with their prescribed medicines.

After a private funeral was held this week in Torquay, Casey said Friday’s service at The Commons would be a celebration and the mood upbeat, which is how James would have wanted it.

They would be live streaming to New York from Cipriani where a tribute and wake was to be held in James’s honour.

“We really want to keep it positive, James had so many friends, he had travelled to 21 countries with friends all over the world before he was taken from us too soon and I know he would have wanted us to celebrate,” Casey said.

“James has been laid to rest with a small family funeral in Torquay where he grew up.

“I would like to thank everyone who helped to bring him home so quickly to be with his family and friends,” said his father.