Family, friends and sports colleagues are mourning the loss of Hallam umpire Stephen Limbrick. Fiancee Fiona Bruzzi (centre) with her parents Lorraine and John, who requested they be photographed out of focus. Picture: Luke Plummer.
By Rebecca Fraser
THE local umpiring fraternity has been rocked by the sudden death of a young umpire at training last week.
Stephen Limbrick, 33, died of a heart attack at a Southern Umpires’ Association (SUA) training session at Kananook Oval in Seaford on Wednesday, 30 August.
Despite desperate attempts to revive him, the popular Hallam local and keen sportsman died at the scene.
His death has devastated fiancee Fiona Bruzzi, who described her partner of 12 years as a happy guy who lived for football and cricket.
Only two days before his death, Mr Limbrick had been called up to umpire what would have been his first finals match – an elimination final clash between Pakenham and Berwick reserves.
Ms Bruzzi said her partner could not stop talking about the match and was as “proud as punch” to be selected.
On Saturday, a minute’s silence was held in Mr Limbrick’s honour, with crowds at the Casey-Cardinia League elimination final at Berwick’s Edwin Flack Reserve stopping to pay their respects to the avid sports follower.
As a mark of respect to Mr Limbrick and his family, all running umpires also wore black armbands during all of the weekend’s matches.
Ms Bruzzi attended the match and said the tribute was carried out with a great deal of dignity.
She said Mr Limbrick would have been pleased.
The pair first met at a Dandenong nightspot and Ms Bruzzi said she had many fond memories of their time together.
The pair was engaged in 2001, but was yet to set a wedding date.
“He was my life. I cannot describe him any other way,” Ms Bruzzi said.
“He was a really happy guy who loved his sport and lived for cricket and football and loved Carlton.”
When the pair met, Ms Bruzzi said there were only three things Mr Limbrick wanted to know – her name, age and, of course, which AFL team she followed.
Luckily, Ms Bruzzi was also a Carlton supporter and she said she and Mr Limbrick soon became a match made in heaven.
“He was just this larger than life guy always happy and cracking jokes and doing silly kid things,” she said.
“He always thought of other people.”
Ms Bruzzi said she had been overwhelmed by the support she and family members had received since his death.
At the age of 21, Mr Limbrick was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a heart condition that ultimately resulted in his death.
The couple had previously agreed that if Mr Limbrick ever died no autopsy was to be carried out.
Ms Bruzzi upheld this wish and her fiance’s funeral will be held today (Thursday).
Well-wishers have been urged to donate funds to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) in lieu of flowers, as Mr Limbrick also loved animals.
SUA president Jason Hughes this week also lamented Mr Limbrick’s death.
He said counselling sessions had been organised for the many people in attendance when Mr Limbrick died, and said many people had been affected by his death.
Mr Hughes said Mr Limbrick would always be remembered as one of the true characters within the SUA and as a larrikin who was always quick with the jokes.
“He always put his hand up and was always willing to help out wherever it was needed,” he said.
Mr Hughes thanked the many people who had tended to Mr Limbrick before paramedics arrived.
“The efforts of these fellow umpires are a true credit to the spirit of camaraderie that embodies the SUA,” an association statement read.
