Loved ones suffer just as much in Garry Lyon fallout, writes Susie O’Brien

IT seems that Garry Lyon and Nicky Brownless were both single when their relationship started, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t had negative ramifications, writes Susie O’Brien.

Social Tour de Crawf Crown Perth and after party 11.7.2013 Garry Lyon and Billy Brownless

WHEN middle-aged people with families and responsibilities act like teenagers, lots of people get hurt.

It seems that Garry Lyon and Nicky Brownless were both single when they started to see each other.

But it doesn’t mean their relationship hasn’t had negative ramifications on those around them.

You can’t just pretend two decades of friendship and marriage — not to mention seven children — don’t exist.

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By all accounts Garry Lyon, who suffers from depression, is feeling pretty devastated right now.

But how do you think Billy Brownless and Lyon’s ex wife Melissa are feeling?

Melissa and Billy — who did nothing wrong — are going about their day today with everyone knowing their personal business.

There’s no point shooting the messengers — the media — when it all comes down to the actions of two people who should have known what the fallout would be.

Billy Brownless in Geelong. Picture: Jason Edwards

When you are as famous as Lyon and Brownless, you have to expect there will be some public interest in your private life — especially when it affects your work.

This is surely another example of the way high profile men with big pay packets and large egos forget the impact of their actions on the people around them.

Brownless hit the nail on the head when he noted in a recent interview that those in the media “get carried away with ourselves”.

“There’s no doubt about that and we get very selfish, or self absorbed and it’s all about us. You do forget your family or your wife or your kids, and then later on when you think about it you think ‘Geez I should have done more’”.

He’s right.

You may have thought some of these people would have learnt something from watching the fallout from the Wayne Carey affair a few years ago.

Carey, who was married to his high school sweetheart Sally, had an affair with his teammate Anthony Stevens’ wife Kelli. The pair was discovered after meeting up in a bathroom at a party.

Again, these were adults acting like children — putting their selfish desires before the needs of others around them.

In this case the situation is different because Carey and Kelli Stevens were both married; Garry Lyon and Nicky Brownless are both single.

But, as I mentioned before, it doesn’t mean they are totally free to do whatever they want to do.

As adults, they should be more mindful of the effect of their actions on the people around them.

Media reports suggest Garry Lyon is depressed, and his friends and family are “rallying around”.

I hope other members of both families are getting the same level of support — they’re going to need it.

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