Beaconsfield Mine survivor pays tribute to Foo Fighters drummer

One of the miners stuck in the 2006 Beaconsfield mine collapse has shared his cherished memory of meeting Taylor Hawkins.

Brant Webb - one of the two miners trapped in the 2006 Beaconsfield mine collapse has shared his experience of meeting Taylor Hawkins, the late drummer for the Foo Fighters.

While stuck underground for two weeks with fellow miner Todd Russell, Mr Webb requested an iPod loaded with several songs by the rock band.

After they were rescued, front man Dave Grohl invited Mr Webb to their Sydney show, with their ordeal inspiring the song 2007 song ‘Ballad of the Beaconsfield Miners’.

Tasmanian miners Todd Russell (left) and Brant Webb were stuck underground for two weeks after an earthquake caused a rock fall. Picture: Ian Waldie/Getty Images.

In light of Hawkins’ passing, Mr Webb has shared his memory of meeting Hawkins at the bar after the concert, describing his death as “pretty devastating”.

“I think we were just talking about our lives and he was more interested than anyone else,” he said, speaking to theManning River Times.

“That was his greatest gift. He devoted his whole concentration to you when you spoke.”

Continueing, he said: “You just felt so uplifted by this bloke.”

“He’s got enough money to do anything he wants in the world and he took the time to speak to me.

Dave Grohl included a song about Beaconsfield miners Brant Webb and Todd Russell on the 2007 album Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace. Picture: Supplied

Mr Webb joins a host of other big names in speaking about Hawkins’ legacy in the wake of his death. The 50-year-old was found dead in a hotel room in Bogota, Colombia, ahead of a festival the band was due to play on Friday evening.

On Sunday, Today host Allison Langdon described Hawkins a “true legend” in a social media post alongside a photo of herself with him and Foo Fighters frontman, Dave Grohl.

She interviewed the duo in 2017 for Nine’s 60 Minutes program, and spent multiple days with the band while they toured the country promoting their Concrete and Gold album.

“Loss of a true legend. Hard to believe Taylor Hawkins is gone at 50,” Langdon’s post read.

“An extraordinary drummer and all around wonderful human. Can’t imagine what his family and bandmates are going though right now. Heartbreaking.”

Studio 10 host Sarah Harris said she had been “cranking” Foo Fighters in the car in the hours before learning of the star drummer’s death.

“Weirdly, I was cranking The Pretender on repeat in my car on the way to Chatswood this morning (the boys love that song). What a genius. What a loss,” she said.

Nine entertainment editor Richard Wilkins, who has interviewed the band multiple times, shared a photo of him standing between Hawkins and Grohl, and described the drummer a “fun, talented guy”.

“What a fun, talented guy … what a terrible day … so sad … RIP #taylorhawkin,” he️ wrote.

TV presenter Deborah Hutton said his death was “such a shock”, while Chezzi Denyer, wife of Grant Denyer, described him an “absolute legend”.

“Ugh. Horrible news. He was such an absolute legend. Met him on set many moons ago and saw him drum many a time on stage. 50 is far too young. What a tragedy,” she wrote.

Nine entertainment editor Richard Wilkins described the drummer a ‘fun, talented guy’. Picture: Instagram/richardwilkins

Sports presenter Mel Mclaughlin also paid tribute, sharing a photo of Grohl and Hawkins performing.

“Always the greatest show on earth when those two got together. Sigh,” she wrote.

Local media has reported Hawkins’ heart was double the weight of a typical adult male’s when he died️.

According to Colombian publication Semana, his heart weighed over 600 grams, leaving forensic experts “shocked”. Most men have a heart that weighs between 280 and 340 grams.

Authorities believe that factor played a part in Hawkins’ death, along with a cocktail of 10 drugs in his system.

Colombia’s Attorney-General says he had consumed antidepressants, benzodiazepines and opioids, along with THC, the main psychoactive component in cannabis.

A report in a major Colombian newspaper also named heroin as one of the drugs allegedly found in his’ system.

The Secretariat of Health has issued a statement confirming the drummer sparked a medical emergency after suffering “chest pains” in a Colombian hotel room.

The statement read: “The city’s Emergency Regulation Centre received an alert about a patient with chest pain in a hotel located in the north of the city.”

Authorities also revealed that an ambulance was called to the scene and a health professional unsuccessfully attempted to revive Hawkins, who was pronounced dead.

Grohl and his bandmates made an emotional return to Los Angeles on Saturday following the shocking death of Hawkins.

Grohl appeared visibly stricken Saturday as he embraced a man believed to be their manager, John Silva, after touching down in the US from Bogota.