Neale Daniher, the AFL legend and 2025 Australian of the Year, has died at age 65 after living with Motor Neurone Disease for 13 years. Diagnosed in 2013, he defied the typical prognosis of two years, dedicating his remaining years to raising over $100 million for research into the disease he called 'The Beast'.
Daniher's annual 'Big Freeze' event, where celebrities slide into ice, became a symbol of his fight. By the time he was named Australian of the Year in 2025, he had lost his speech and used eye-tracking AI to communicate. His valedictory speech in January was delivered via video as he was too unwell to attend.
His death comes just weeks after NRL star Jai Arrow, 30, announced his own MND diagnosis, echoing Daniher's resolve. The Victorian government has offered a state funeral, and landmarks across the state were lit blue in his honour.
Daniher's legacy, he said, was to show that 'no matter the odds, we all have the power to choose to fight, to choose our attitude, to choose to smile, and to choose to do something.'
