NRL star Payne Haas posts heartbreaking tribute to dead brother

Payne Haas is still coming to terms with his grief, posting about a family tragedy he struggles to deal with every day since it happened.

Payne Haas is still coming to terms with losing his best friend.

NRL star Payne Haas has posted a heartbreaking tribute to his brother on the one-year anniversary of his death.

The Broncos prop’s brother Chace, who became a quadriplegic when he was involved in a car crash at just five-months-old, died aged 22 last year.

Twelve months on, Haas is still coming to terms with his grief.

“One year since you’ve been gone my uso,” he wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of the pair. “Not one day goes past were I don’t think about you it’s been the hardest challenge this past year but I just hope I’m making you proud.

“I love you forever big uso words can’t explain how I really feel.”

Broncos players like Jordan Riki and the retiring Alex Glenn commented on Haas’ post with love heart emojis.

Chace’s life, and that of the Haas family, was changed forever in 1999 when their car lost control while travelling between Canberra and Goulburn, crashing into a tree.

The second of 10 children, Chace suffered such severe whiplash he snapped his neck and would never walk. Payne was born eight months after the accident and the pair shared a special bond.

“I wish it was me,” Payne told NRL.com in a 2019 interview. “If I could go back and put myself in the situation he was in, I’d take that burden for him. I would love to see him live the life I am. I’d sit in that chair for the rest of my life to see him walk.

“Sometimes I cry in my room. I pray sometimes that things were never like that. I wish he was running around like us.

“Dad used to show us photos of how Chace was on life support. I’ve got life pretty easy. My brother knows real struggle.”

Chace’s life changed forever with his accident.

Payne (far right) was always close to Chace (second from right).

Before Payne’s Origin debut for the Blues in 2019, Chace spoke about how proud he was of his sibling.

“Words can’t describe how I feel about my little brother,” he said.

“When he said he was going to play for the Blues … It means everything to me. More than to him. I was very emotional to hear it. I’m blue to the bones. Always have been, always will be. Words can’t describe how I feel about my little brother.”

“When he runs on the field, he takes all of us with him. Every day I look up to my little bro. Every time I see him on TV he makes me really happy.

“He’s 100 per cent my hero. I will always protect him, no matter what.”

The Haas family is a tight-knit clan.