Touching tributes as ironman legend Mercer is farewelled
HE WAS one of Ironman’s biggest stars, a legend with a heart the size of Phar Lap’s, made of solid gold.
More than 1000 mourners, including a roll call of surf life saving heroes, turned out on the Gold Coast yesterday to farewell Dean Mercer, the tenacious competitor who, in sport and in life, never gave up.
His wife Reen, herself a former golden girl of surf lifesaving, called on her husband’s typically steely resolve to de- liver a moving tribute to a legend who, like “a Mack truck wrapped up in the body of a Mini”, was larger than life.
While Mercer never stopped trying for an elusive Coolangatta Gold, he needed that same kind of dedication to woo the woman who would eventually become mother to his four boys, aged six to 13.
“I was always shutting him down, but Dean was persistent,” she said. “Persistent in his goals in life and persistent in chasing me.”
The pursuit ended with Mercer literally chasing her down the road, a pursuit sealed with a kiss.
“I’m so glad he kept chasing and I’m so glad I slowed down enough for him to catch me,” she said.
“He had a heart of gold that gave him so much and allowed him to give so much back.”
For the only time, her voice quivered as she told of the irony of a man whose heart gave him everything suddenly giving out.
Last week that heart, the one that pumped determi- nation, dedication and a relentless will to win through his veins, suddenly stopped.
The two- time Australian Ironman champion suffered a massive heart attack and could not be revived. He was 47.
Family friend Ian Hanson delivered his own tribute before reading a statement on behalf of Mercer’s dad John.
“Last week you crossed your final finish line,” he wrote.
“You were the Phar Lap of ironman racing. It is with a heavy heart that we all say ‘ goodbye champion’.”