Australian Olympic bobsledder Duncan Pugh has died aged just 48 after suffering a sudden brain aneurysm, leaving behind his wife and two young sons.
Pugh, who represented the country at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, suffered a “catastrophic brain hemorrhage” in Perth on January 24 and could not be saved.
“We are heartbroken and just speechless,” his wife McKenzie wrote in an online obituary.
“You were the rock of our family and you wore your heart on your sleeve. You were so proud of our two boys, the best dad anyone could ask for. You made me feel the center of your world.
“Your passion and determination will live on in our boys forever.”
Olympic bobsledder Duncan Pugh (pictured with his wife McKenzie) has died aged 48
Pugh, a former runner and surf lifesaver, made his debut on the international bobsleigh track at the 2007 European Cup after being introduced to the sport by a friend.
Two years later he won bronze in the two-man bobsleigh with Chris Spring at the 2009 America’s Cup in Calgary, Canada.
He made his first Olympic appearance the following year at the Vancouver Winter Games, but his medal dreams were dashed when he was eliminated from the competition in the first round after a fall that left him with a concussion.
During the first heat of the two-man race, he and pilot Jeremy Rolleston’s sled overturned, causing them to slide headfirst down the track.
Since they did not finish the race, they were eliminated from further runs and had to withdraw from the four-man sled competition due to their injuries.
After the accident, he did not take part in any more Olympic Games.
Of the 2010 crash, Pugh said the runaway fall down the slide was “nearly impossible to describe.”
“It’s not a comfortable feeling, for a split second everything goes still and everything goes soft when you turn around,” he told ABC at the time.
“And then you hit the ice and it’s just incredibly loud, you get rolled onto your head, onto your back.”
Pugh was also a teacher and spent the last 17 years working at Newman College, a Catholic school in Perth’s inner north-west.
Pugh represented Australia at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics (pictured)
He was also a volunteer coach for Wests Scarborough Rugby Union Club while his wife managed the team and occasionally worked in the canteen.
A family friend, Levi Bristow, set up GoFundMe to raise funds for Pugh’s wife and sons Charlie, 7, and George, 6, as they grapple with rising medical bills and upcoming funeral expenses.
Mr Bristow said Pugh will “always be remembered as a legend” who will be missed “every day”.
‘[He was] a fantastic father to his sons, a beloved husband, son, brother and uncle to his family,” wrote Mr. Bristow.
“A former Olympian with an enduring passion for the sport, which was evident in his role as a rugby and… fitness coach. He was revered and respected as a teacher and loved by all his friends.
“Anyone who has had a face-to-face conversation with Dunc will know exactly how easy it was to feel comfortable in his presence and be grateful for his friendship.”
A fundraiser was started to help his wife and young sons pay for his funeral
Tributes flowed for the beloved father of two, and Newman College remembered Pugh as a passionate “outdoor education specialist” and a well-loved member of their Health and Athletic Department.
“His commitment to students and colleagues has been unwavering,” the school said in a statement.
“Duncan will be fondly remembered as a significant member of the Newman community and will remain in our hearts for years to come.”
Bobsleigh and Skeleton Australia, the sport’s national governing body, said Pugh “went way too young”.
“Our little bobsled family took a big hit this week with the death of Pughie,” it said online.
“Duncan Pugh, Vancouver 2010 Olympic gold medalist, was and will always be remembered as a legend.
“He will be sorely missed by all of us every day.”