The uncle of AFL player John McCarthy, who died in Las Vegas yesterday, has spoken on behalf of the family to express their sadness over the sudden death of the 22-year-old.
"On behalf of the family... and his beautiful girlfriend Dani, we want to express humility and genuine gratitude to the overwhelming flood of well-wishes," John Olle said in a brief statement at the Sorrento Football Club this afternoon.
"He was a unique, precious and loved young man. He never said a bad world about Collingwood. When they drafted him, he couldn't believe it."
"Port Adelaide offered him a second chance and they embraced him. He's been through a lot for a young man."
Mr Olle also expressed gratitude to the media. "You should be proud in the manner in which you've respected our devastating loss."
John McCarthy died after falling nine metres from the balcony of a hotel room.
He is understood to have told his girlfriend he was heading to the airport after becoming separated from his Port Adelaide teammates on an end-of-season trip to the US.
The Las Vegas coroner has said there doesn't appear to be any suspicious circumstances regarding the death.
