Entertainment
Russell Crowe’s father ‘died onboard Qantas flight as airline crew tried to resuscitate him’
Russell Crowe’s father reportedly died onboard a regional flight to his home of Coffs Harbour.
The Gladiator star confirmed that his dad John Alexander Crowe died aged 85 on March 30, saying that he passed away in Coffs Harbour, where he had lived for 25 years.
According to Australian news channel 7NEWS, John was flying from Sydney to Coffs Harbour when he lost consciousness on the QantasLink flight, which lasts an hour and 15 minutes.
A doctor and airline crew desperately tried to resuscitate John mid-flight, but he died after landing in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales.
Fellow passenger Andrew Fraser told the channel: ‘They basically gave him CPR for who knows how long … probably 18 to 20 minutes.
‘They worked tirelessly and continued after the flight had landed.’
Qantas declined to comment on the identity of the passenger.
Russell, 56, confirmed on Twitter that his dad died on Tuesday, tweeting: ‘I arrived back in the bush last night. Today, although the sun is shining and the torrential rain has abated, this date will forever be tinged with sadness.
‘My dear old man, my beautiful dad, the most gentle of men, has passed away.
‘I’m posting this because I know there are people all over the world who’s heart he touched and who’s ribs he tickled with his sparkly eyes and his cheeky attitude to everyone, and everything, and this is probably as efficient a method as any to pass on the news.
‘John Alexander Crowe, 13th March 1936- 30th March 2021.
‘Born in Christchurch, New Zealand. Passed away in Coffs Harbour, NSW, his home for the last 25 years. Rest In Peace.’
John previously worked as a film set caterer and a manager of a hotel, and he and Jocelyn moved their family to Sydney from New Zealand to pursue their career in set catering when Russell was four years old.
A keen cricket lover, John was the the brother of New Zealand cricket champion David Crowe and uncle of the country’s former cricket captains Martin and Jeff Crowe.
Speaking about his dad to the Daily Mail in 2016, Russell said that John ‘hardly ever raised his voice’ and never put any pressure on him.
He said: ‘He was a resourceful man and I remember he once bought a stick for three dollars at a garage sale to make into a cricket bat for me,’ he said.
‘It was just this ugly old stick, but he got some linseed oil and he oiled it, and he went and bought a brightly coloured rubber grip for it, and by the time he gave it to me, it was magnificent. I used that cricket bat in all my junior years.’
John is survived by his wife Jocelyn, Russell and his two grandsons, Charles, 17, and Tennyson, 14.
Metro.co.uk has contacted Crowe’s rep for comment.
