The family of a country footballer killed in a post-season celebration gone wrong has told 7NEWS they forgive the man charged over his death.
Jed Griffin, 25, was killed on Sunday at his footy club in Osborne, southern NSW, when he was being towed behind a quad bike and collided with a goalpost.
“I think I knew as soon as I saw him that it wasn’t good,” his sister Darby Griffin said. “They worked so hard on him, but he was gone, which was nice. He didn’t suffer.”
“The trauma, to be honest, I don’t even want to take my brain back there. It was horrific,” club president Jason Webster said.
Griffin was Osborne’s star player and chief unifier who loved adventure. Even a serious injury five years ago couldn’t stop his determination.
“They said he’d never run again. And he not only ran, he came back and played football and won two flags,” his aunt Jo Kerr said.
“He was going to run this farm with Dad,” Darby said.
His partner Sophie witnessed the crash. “He would have married her and they would have had kids,” Darby said.
Police are alleging his best mate was driving the quad bike and he’s now facing serious charges in court.
But in an ultimate act of forgiveness, the Griffin family are sticking by him.
“My heart broke for him and I just held him and I said, ‘this is an accident’,” Darby said.
“He looked up to Jed like a big brother. This is going to destroy him and we need to be there to support him.”
Webster said Griffin was loved by everyone. “Everyone loved him before this, but geez, we’re really feeling the love for him now.”
“He’d want people not to be sad, but to go out there and play like him,” Darby said.