Last Sunday afternoon, Newtown Jets icon Barry Vining lay on his loungeroom floor surrounded by his family with his hand on his heart and said his final words: “My chest hurts.” “And then he was gone,” recalled his daughter, Jamie. “A lot of stories this week have said Newtown killed him.
The Jets didn’t kill him. People can have heart attacks from joy.” Vining was one of them.
His heart may have had enough, but it was full. Only moments earlier, the 85-year-old had watched his beloved club claim a dramatic NSW Cup grand final against North Sydney, winning 28-22. He’d stepped down as president in 2018 after 32 years, but the Bluebags would forever be in his blood.
He’d told his family earlier this year he wanted to see them win one last premiership after they won the NRL State Championship in 2019. “We keep replaying that comment in our heads,” Jamie said. “That fact he did see them win is the silver lining.
We were all wearing Newtown jerseys on Sunday. Two of his daughters were there. His grandkids were there.
He stood up on full-time, he was so excited. Then he started to go towards the bathroom and lent over. I said to Mum, ‘I don’t think Dad’s OK.
’ He said he was struggling to breathe.” Former Newtown Jets president Barry Vining celebrates after his side won the 2019 NRL state championship grand final. His widow, Vicki , said: “It was quite an intense match, and Barry gets emotional about them when they play.
He definitely knew they ha.
