‘Shocking': Levi Ablett's condition revealed after six years
The wife of Geelong legend Gary Ablett has told The Herald Sun she is now going public with the diagnosis because she believes doing so will provide support for families going through similar issues.
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The couple had previously kept some details of Levi's condition secret, sharing only that their brave son suffers from a rare degenerative illness.
Jordan, 33, has now opened up to tell the world her brave six-year-old son has a rare condition called Menkes.
The degenerative illness affects Levi's respiratory system and devastatingly results in a shorter life expectancy.
Those with Menkes struggle to absorb copper, an essential mineral for the human body. Those that live with low copper levels in their system can face a number of deficiencies, including neurological function.
It is unlikely Levi will ever speak and the couple made the difficult decision to not send him to school last year while they continue to care for him.
Ablett says it has taken her this long to process everything to a point where she is comfortable talking about Menkes.
'I always knew deep down that I would eventually be open and transparent about it. I don't know what good can possibly come from not being that.' Ablett said.
'I didn't want people to misinterpret me holding onto that information as being ashamed of Levi. It was purely a matter of me just trying and needing to process it all first myself. I knew that once I could do that, I'd be in a position where I could then offer encouragement and hope to others through our journey.'
The diagnosis, delivered in May 2020, came around the same time Jordan was caring for her mum before she died of lung cancer the same year.
'It was shocking … of course it was hard to first accept,'' she told The Herald Sun.
Ablett is going public with more details of her family's life with her book One Day at a Time being released this month.
Levi receives ongoing care through the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne and Jordan Ablett has been one of the leading ambassadors for the annual Good Friday Appeal.
The daunting challenge of sharing her experiences with readers earlier this year left Jordan in tears after confronting some of the most challenging aspects of the family's dynamics with Levi.
'Not a very glamorous photo, but at least a real one,' Ablett wrote alongside a photo of herself lying down with her hand over her eyes in January.
'This is me wiping my tears in a moment when they wouldn't stop running.'
'I don't normally pick up my phone at a time like this and snap it. But, it felt real, and it captured the reality of how I've been feeling lately.
'During the past month, I've been extra busy working on my book in order for it to be ready in time. The entire task has been a roller coaster, but as I approach the finish line, not once in the process have I felt like I've gone this low as I get closer to it going to print and it becoming so real.
'If I'm to be completely honest with you, not that long ago, I considered slamming the book shut and not publishing it. The feeling of opening myself up to the world is daunting and has brought me unexpected anxiety, something that I've been struggling with and have had to work through.
'I've constantly had to remind myself of the bigger picture in the opportunity to share. I've cried many tears. I've felt overwhelmed, under pressure and exhausted.'
Gary Ablett Jr — whose father was a high-flying full forward in the 1980s and 90s — is one of the great players of the modern era.
Now 40 years old, Ablett Jr played 357 games for Geelong and the Gold Coast, winning two flags with the Cats and a Brownlow Medal with each of his clubs.
He and Jordan also have a daughter Grace and son Ezra.
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