Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Axel’s death left a void that can never be filled
STANDER ON LOSS OF LEGEND AS HE URGES GOOD MENTAL HEALTH
IRELAND star CJ Stander has revealed he still struggles with the “void” left by former Munster head coach Anthony Foley’s death in Paris four years ago. Foley, who would have celebrated his 46th birthday last Friday, passed away suddenly in the team hotel prior to a European tie with Racing 92.
It was a bitter blow for Irish rugby and a devastating loss for South African-born Stander who built up a close connection with the former Ireland captain at Thomond Park. Stander, speaking as an ambassador for the Tackle Your Feelings campaign, said: “For me there’s still that void, as if he’s going to walk around the corner or into the room.
“The feelings of the loss actually came a few weeks later when you would go down and his office would be open but he’s not there. “That’s a void that any person will never fill. It was a difficult thing to move on from because you see pictures of him and you talk to people about him.
“Still to this day, talking to his wife Olive and seeing his sisters and mum and dad, it’s tough because you see them and you want to talk about him. You want to celebrate him.
“He was a massive loss for me personally. He was a class act and a class man.” Stander recalls the team hotel in Paris that grim October day in 2016 resembling a “warzone” as players, staff and relatives struggled to come to terms with Foley’s passing.
But the 43-times capped Ireland forward, who didn’t speak a word of English when he arrived in Limerick four years before, found himself stepping up in a time of crisis.
“No one knew what was going on, people were running and people were crying – it was almost like a warzone,” said Stander.
“That’s probably not the right word to use but there was confusion. In a situation like that there are so many people with different personalities so I tried to figure how every person ticked and what I could do to make them feel comfortable. “That was the main thing, especially with Axel’s dad and a few of his friends who came to the hotel. I just wanted to make sure they at least had a cup of coffee. My biggest thing that day was the family, to see if someone was struggling and have a conversation with them because there was that uncertainty.” Foley’s personal touch still acts as an inspiration to Stander who hopes the Tackle Your Feelings campaign helps others navigate tough times.
“You need to be kind and that’s one thing I learned from the big man,” he said. “He just checked on you or said ‘Hi’ in the mornings. You’d get a text out of the blue and it would change your day.”
CJ Stander is an ambassador for Tackle Your Feelings, a campaign encouraging people to support each other during the Covid-19 pandemic.