Mum’s tragic situation while cricket legend Chris Cairns remains on life support

The mother of cricket legend Chris Cairns has been put in a heartbreaking position while her son continues to fight for life all alone.

New Zealand cricket legend Chris Cairns’ mum is unable to get to his hospital bedside as a result of Australia’s Covid-19 border closures.

Sue Wilson, the 51-year-old Kiwi all-rounder’s mum, is sitting in the heartbreaking situation of watching on from afar as Cairns has been placed on life support following an aortic dissection.

The New Zealand Herald understands he collapsed, having suffered a massive heart attack last week in Canberra — resulting in an aortic dissection, a tear in the inner layer of the body’s main artery.

He has been transferred to a specialist hospital in Sydney and had an operation on his heart overnight. He is recovering in specialised care.

According to a Newshub report, he has undergone several operations while in hospital, but has not responded to treatment as hoped.

His condition reportedly includes suffering an infection - which forced his move to Sydney.

It remains unclear if his wife Mel and their children have been able to travel with him.

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The son of Black Cap legend Lance Cairns was known as one of the finest all-rounders of his generation - and his situation has led to heartbreak around the cricket world.

The heartbreak is devastatingly worse for his mum.

Sue Wilson is in Canberra and will not be able to get to her son in Sydney as a result of NSW’s Covid-19 outbreak

Sydney is under full lockdown and there were 356 new cases announced on Tuesday.

The Cairns family has endured personal tragedy. Chris Cairns’ sister Louise was killed in 1993 when a cement truck failed to stop at a level crossing at Rolleston in the South Island and collided with the Southerner passenger train.

Former Black Caps teammate Andre Adams said on social media his thoughts and prayers are with Cairns and his family.

Cricketer Chris Cairns was a man to be feared when Australia played New Zealand.

Former Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum was one of the strongest voices to emerge on Tuesday, speaking with emotion and honesty about his complicated relationship with Cairns

“It’s a difficult subject to obviously talk about. We haven’t seen each other for quite a long time,” McCullum said on his SENZ Breakfast show.

“We’ve been reflecting on just how fine a cricketer he was when the news came through and what he did for the game and New Zealand cricket throughout his career as well. Our relationship is unimportant in the whole thing, the fact is that Chris is a father and also a son to Lance and Sue. They’ve already had such tragedy in their life with the loss of Chris’ sister a long time ago as well.

“It’s a really difficult time for those people and I know the cricket community and all those who support the Cairns family will be suffering right now. Today my family and myself are thinking of those people who are suffering.”

During the release of his autobiography Declared in 2016, McCullum said he had no regrets about his decision to testify against Cairns, even if it meant irreparable harm to the pair’s relationship.

“I’m sure [Cairns] will get on with his life, and I’ll get on with mine, and let’s hope they never cross paths,” McCullum said at the time.

Cairns played 62 test matches, 215 one day internationals and two T20s for New Zealand between 1989 and 2006. He went on to become a commentator with Sky Sport in New Zealand. Cairns has been living and working in Canberra with his wife Mel and their children for several years.

Chris Cairns taking a wicket against Australia.

He has been the chief executive of SmartSportz, a company specialising in virtual sport.

Cairns had to rebuild his life after walking out of Southwark Crown Court in London in 2015 after being found not guilty of perjury and perverting the course of justice charges in relation to match-fixing allegations.