After falling on Friday, Nathan Merritt’s sister claimed that he is still in a “critical condition,” but she insisted that her brother is “a fighter.”
The 40-year-old former winger was discovered unconscious and brought to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Camperdown, where he was given life support.
Merritt, a father of five, is thought to have collapsed at his aunt’s house where he was living after taking prescription painkillers and experiencing a bad response.
On Sunday morning, Teanne Merritt posted a status update on Facebook informing friends and followers of Nathan’s condition.
She wrote on Facebook, “On behalf of Nathan and our family, we would like to thank everyone for your good thoughts and prayers.”
Merritt is regarded as one of the greatest players in Rabbitohs history. Merritt resigned from the National Rugby League in 2014 after 237 appearances.
He was reared in Redfern and began playing football as a youngster with the Alexandria Rovers, who participated in the South Sydney juvenile league.
Following his retirement, he applied his love of the game to a cause close to his heart by founding the Nathan Merritt Foundation, which assists and supports Aboriginal youngsters in Sydney.
Merritt took part in the Koori Knockout competition last weekend on the Central Coast, and viewers there noted that he appeared to be concussed during one of the games.
It’s still not apparent if there’s any relationship between this event and his subsequent breakdown.
Blake Solly, CEO of South Sydney, stated on Saturday morning that “Nathan is in the thoughts and prayers of every Rabbitoh at the moment.”
following repeatedly hitting a bar security guard who was attempting to help Merritt get home following a drinking session in December 2022, Merritt entered a plea of guilty to common assault.
He said Merritt, who the court heard suffered from melancholy after retiring from football, was so inebriated he only has hazy memories of the incident, and that it was “pure luck” no one was seriously hurt in the assault.
