Former Fremantle midfielder Harley Balic had done his best to tackle the damaging effects of depression and anxiety.
On Sunday, just days after turning 25, he died alone at a hotel in Highett, south-east Melbourne.
While the cause of Balic’s death is not considered suspicious by Victoria Police, the state coroner will not be able to confirm what is widely suspected as his cause of death for some time.
Harley Balic’s mother Nancy (right) paid tribute to her son on his birthday on January 5 with this photo of them together. He would have died a few days later
Former Fremantle midfielder Harley Balic (pictured right in a social media post) has died just days after turning 25, becoming the third ex-Docker to die in the past four years
Tragic: Balic died Sunday morning in Victoria, with police confirming Monday evening his death was not suspicious
Either way, suicide was something Balic had become passionate about trying to prevent within the community at large.
On September 16 last year, as the Melburnians continued to suffer from their sixth lockdown, Balic’s mother Nancy proudly hit social media to announce that her son was working with Monash Health as a health worker mental.
“So proud of this legend,” she posted above a photo of Balic’s ID card.
Balic had been extremely close to his parents – especially his mother.
He had also been very open about his own struggles with depression.
As the Melburnians plunged into their first of many blockades in 2020, Balic plunged into icy waters in the hope of drawing attention to the public’s hidden mental health crisis.
What started out as a 30-day challenge spread to 50 as deadlocks from Victorian Prime Minister Daniel Andrews continued indefinitely.
“Whatever your situation, you are not alone. Do things that will make the situation you are facing less chaotic instead of more, ”Balic said after 30 days.
“I’m not an angel, but it’s something that helps with clarity and routine.”
Balic had said that the dips in near-freezing water had helped him clear his mind and start the day with clarity.
“I know it’s not much, but for what people go through on a daily basis, the anxieties and sadness in people’s lives, it’s just a small act of appreciation towards everyone. who are suffering from the chaos that reigns in their lives, “he wrote.
It was in 2020.
Balic, or the rest of the state, had no idea they would face another tough year of foreclosure.
Her last public Facebook post was posted on September 5 of that year, just days after completing her 50-day mental health challenge.
Daily Mail Australia attempted to get in touch with Balic’s mother and others close to him in an attempt to understand what happened between then and now, other than that he found a job as a mental health worker.
Harley Balic had been a warrior for mental health issues in the community
Harley Balic and Ebony Dunkley in happier times.
Devastating: Balic had spoken openly about the mental health issues he had suffered in the past and said he had lost his passion for gambling
Career: Balic played junior football at Mordialloc-Braeside before joining the Sandringham Dragons in the TAC Cup. In 2014 he was part of the All Australian Under 18 team at the AIS AFL Academy
Balic had been a highly touted junior player with the Sandringham Dragons and destined for AFL stardom when he was drafted in 2015.
Although eager to stay in Melbourne, he was picked by the Dockers with the 38 pick and spent two years at Fremantle, playing four senior games.
The young prospect had a lot to prove and would speak later about the pressure he put on himself to be successful with the club.
Just a year after the big move, he hit his first stumbling block with a wrist injury.
It was an injury that had plagued his junior career.
Balic was forced to take time off the game in 2017 and returned to Victoria to be close to friends and family.
Dockers said he was granted “leave of absence” to deal with a “personal matter”.
The following year he was traded to the Melbourne Demons, who last year won the coveted prime ministerial post.
Melbourne offered him a run in the lower VFL competition at the start of the 2018 season, where he showed a lot of promise.
But Balic would find the black dog of depression nearly impossible to eliminate, and he retired before the year was out.
His “heart was not there,” he said at the time.
“It was an easy decision in the end, because I’ve been thinking about it for a little while now,” he said in 2018 when announcing his retirement.
“This is something I will not regret and I am very grateful to Melbourne for allowing me to come to the club for a second chance.
“I’ve always loved football but my heart isn’t in it and it all ends up being hard and I think it’s the right thing to do.”
Harley Balic had dived in icy water during 2020 closures in Victoria to raise awareness about mental health issues
Retirement: In August 2018, Balic announced his retirement from the sport
Former AFL star Harley Bennell (right) posted a photo of himself with Balic (left) and Yarran (center) with the caption: “Keep calm my 2 brothers”
In 2020, he opened up about his mental struggles since retiring from the sport prematurely.
“The way I left football unfinished left me lost in the world,” he told Leader newspapers.
“It resulted in depressing episodes and things like that. Getting to the highest level, which you’ve dedicated your whole life to, and then all of a sudden being nobody, I found it quite difficult.
Fremantle mourned the deaths of two other former players in recent years.
Former Dockers and Demons midfielder Colin Sylvia died in 2018 in a car crash, while former Fremantle striker Shane Yarran also died in 2018.
Following the devastating news of Balic’s death, AFLW Collingwood co-captain Steph Chiocci paid tribute on Twitter.
“Saddened to hear of the passing of Harley Balic. A former Parkdale SC student and one of the most talented junior footballers I have had the pleasure of attending. So athletic and agile and could run all day. Be easy, Harley, ”she wrote.
Former AFL star Harley Bennell posted a photo of himself with Balic and Yarran with the caption: “Keep calm my 2 brothers.”
Another fan said: “Very upsetting news indeed. He was a lovely young man.
“The former Fremantle player is so sad,” said a third.
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