How a hidden killer claimed world champion Sue Sofarnos’ life
When a sudden, massive heart attack claimed the life of world champion sportswoman Sue “Melli” Sofarnos, after she had just finished her regular ocean swim in Williamstown, her family were shocked to discover the ticking time bomb that led to her death.
Victoria
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Fit, strong and energetic, world champion lacrosse player Sue “Melli” Sofarnos appeared invincible.
A sudden, massive heart attack – caused by hidden, high cholesterol – was the last thing her family and friends could have predicted would prematurely claim the elite sportswoman’s life.
But on September 19 this year — after her regular morning swim at Williamstown Beach and parking her car to drop off flowers to an elderly friend — a piece of built-up plaque in her arteries broke away, and blocked the blood flow to Sue’s heart.
Within minutes, the 59 year-old mother of two was dead.
One of the most decorated figures in Australian lacrosse history, tributes have poured in from around the globe for the five-time World Cup player.
Revealing exclusively to the Herald Sun her cause of death, Sue’s grieving husband, John, said medical reports had confirmed “it was an almighty, heart attack … like a lightning rod straight through her body”.
Pleading with Australians, no matter how fit, to have their cholesterol regularly checked, Mr Sofarnos said while Sue had no symptoms of poor heart health leading up to her death, she had an elevated cholesterol reading two years’ ago.
Receiving the news from police she had died in her car, not far from their family home, was “surreal … like an out of body experience”, Mr Sofarnos said.
“It was impossible to comprehend because Sue was so full of life … the sort of woman who would jump out of bed and have 12 things on her to-do list, and then try and jam in another six things.
“She would get up and go … and fitness was a huge part of her life.
“The morning she died, we sadly hadn’t spoken because, being lazy, I slept in … Sue got up and went for her swim and, now, we’ll never speak again.”
After picking up a lacrosse stick at age 10 and representing her country on the world stage, as both a player and a coach, in the decades since, Sue had been awarded an OAM for her service to the sport in January this year, Mr Sofarnos said.
“But sadly, she never physically got to receive it because of COVID.”
A lifelong member of Newport Ladies Lacrosse Club, where she first started playing as a child, Sue was also a former sports co-ordinator at Mount St Joseph Girls’ College.
Her achievements include representing Australia on the world stage five times as a player; helping lead the team to a gold, two silver and two bronze medals.
As a coach, she led Australia to victory against the powerhouse United States team and was general manager of the 2021 women’s team, which plans to travel to the US next year to reclaim the World Championship title.
Mr Sofarnos said he and his two daughters Jess and Hayley, both in their 20s, had launched a foundation in Sue’s honour to help lacrosse players compete internationally.
As a non-Olympic sport, lacrosse got “two-fifths of stuff all” funding, forcing even the best players in the country to constantly fundraise in order to compete overseas, he said.
More than $145,000 has already been raised for the foundation.
To support it, go to https://au.gofundme.com/f/sue-sofarnos-foundation
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