Gary Ablett Jnr ‘thankful for every day’ with disabled son Levi: Watch heartwarming video

AFL legend Gary Ablett has posted a touching message to his disabled son, Levi — alongside a heartwarming video — telling him he’s thankful for every day they get to spend together.

AFL legend Gary Ablett junior has posted a touching message to his son Levi, saying: “So thankful for every day I get to spend with you.”

The former Geelong and Gold Coast star posted a video of himself holding a delighted Levi in the water at a Gold Coast beach.

Ablett’s wife Jordan also shared the precious video, which shows Levi, 4, smiling from ear to ear and laughing, as his dad gently pulls his legs through the sea.

Gary Ablett with Levi in Queensland. Picture: Instagram

Levi clearly loves the beach. Picture: Instagram

The couple recently had a third child, a boy, who is also a brother to Grace.

Levi – who suffers from a rare degenerative disease that the Abletts have not publicly named – cannot walk or talk, and has a short life expectancy.

The family publicly revealed his condition in 2020, with Jordan taking to Instagram in July 2022 to tell of how the first worrying signs of Levi’s disease emerged at a photo shoot for his first birthday.

Ablett gently pulled his son’s legs through the water. Picture: Instagram

Levi experiences the wave break against his legs. Picture: Instagram

“I remember the photographer asking me if Levi could stand/sit and I said no and as we continued taking photos, I was thinking ‘this isn’t right’,” she wrote.

She urged other parents to follow their gut instincts when it came to their children’s development and to voice concerns with professionals.