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The Advertiser
a day ago
- Health
- The Advertiser
How Neale Daniher's blue beanie blockbuster is inspiring change, fuelling hope
Motor neurone disease warrior Neale Daniher has a simple but powerful message for young people in 2025: learn how to be resilient. "It's not a matter of if life gets tough, it's when and how often," the 2025 Australian of the Year said. "Character isn't just built in the good times - it's built even more in the tough times. Like a nation, like a football club, like a family, strength is forged through struggle." This long weekend the 64-year-old former Melbourne coach and Essendon player will rally the nation once again around FightMND, the charity he co-founded and which has raised $115 million for research to find a cure for the disease he has battled since 2013. FightMND's 11th annual "Big Freeze at the 'G" fundraiser takes place before the June 9 King's Birthday AFL clash between Collingwood and Melbourne. Big Freeze 11 blue beanies have been on sale at Coles and Bunnings stores in recent weeks and the MCG is expected to be a sea of blue on Monday. Inspired by the words of the philosopher Kierkegaard - "Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards" - Daniher said: "This year we're daring everyone to live it forward. To live in the moment. To take bold steps toward a brighter future for those living with MND and in memory of those we've lost." The theme for this year's sliders is "iconic Australians" - a nod to Daniher's Australian of the Year honour. The 10 celebrities taking the toboggan plunge into a pool of ice costumed as Aussie stage, screen and sporting legends include Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus, actor Matt Nable (who lost his brother to MND), former Australian cricket captain and 1999 Australian of the Year Mark Taylor, Olympian and Sunrise co-host Matt Shirvington, AFL legends Peter Daicos and Aaron Davey, netballer Liz Watson and Aussie cricket captain Alyssa Healy. "Since the first Big Freeze in 2015, this movement has grown into a force of nature, fuelled by the generosity of Australians across the country," Daniher says. "The generosity and unwavering spirit of the community has inspired change and fuelled hope." A year after his diagnosis, Daniher co-founded FightMND with Dr Ian Davis and Pat Cunningham. Sadly, MND has since claimed the lives of Dr Davis and Mr Cunningham's wife Angie, but the legacy they created with Daniher lives on. "Neale is an inspiration to many millions of Australians," AFL CEO Andrew Dillon, a FightMND board member, said. "His achievements on the footy field were remarkable, while his legacy off the field in helping raise awareness and find a cure for MND is legendary. There is no bigger champion than Neale, as he continues to amaze us with his resilience, passion and drive, all while keeping his cheeky Daniher wit." While MND has robbed the West Wyalong-born, Riverina-raised Daniher of the ability to speak, he uses eye-gaze technology to communicate. When he accepted his Australian of the Year Award in Canberra in January, his speech was read by a robotic voice. But the voice now sounds like the real Neale thanks to AI and recordings of his media conferences from his coaching days. "It's much better than the robot voice I had, but I don't sit around listening to myself all day," Daniher told 7News. He recently took his message in person to school students in Perth - his first official interstate trip as Australian of the Year. CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE OUR NEXT AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR With his young, WA-based grandson Cooper watching on, he urged the 200 students to face life's challenges with strength and positivity. "What do you wish for someone you love?" he asked. "Most people would say 'I want them to be happy' or healthy or to find something they're passionate about, or maybe to find love; and all of that is important. "But today, I want to give you an alternative. The one thing I really wish for Cooper - and for you - is to learn how to be resilient. "Resilience is simply the ability to bounce back from setbacks, adapt to change and keep going when things get tough. It doesn't mean you don't feel pain, disappointment or frustration. It means you don't let those feelings define you or stop you from moving forward. "You have to find the courage to take responsibility, not to pass the buck, not to procrastinate, not to make excuses. You have to summon something from within you, from the better side of your character, and let it help you rise up." Who inspires you? Who do you think should be our next Australian of the Year? If you see them or hear about them, nominate them before July 31 for the 2026 Australian of the Year Awards at Motor neurone disease warrior Neale Daniher has a simple but powerful message for young people in 2025: learn how to be resilient. "It's not a matter of if life gets tough, it's when and how often," the 2025 Australian of the Year said. "Character isn't just built in the good times - it's built even more in the tough times. Like a nation, like a football club, like a family, strength is forged through struggle." This long weekend the 64-year-old former Melbourne coach and Essendon player will rally the nation once again around FightMND, the charity he co-founded and which has raised $115 million for research to find a cure for the disease he has battled since 2013. FightMND's 11th annual "Big Freeze at the 'G" fundraiser takes place before the June 9 King's Birthday AFL clash between Collingwood and Melbourne. Big Freeze 11 blue beanies have been on sale at Coles and Bunnings stores in recent weeks and the MCG is expected to be a sea of blue on Monday. Inspired by the words of the philosopher Kierkegaard - "Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards" - Daniher said: "This year we're daring everyone to live it forward. To live in the moment. To take bold steps toward a brighter future for those living with MND and in memory of those we've lost." The theme for this year's sliders is "iconic Australians" - a nod to Daniher's Australian of the Year honour. The 10 celebrities taking the toboggan plunge into a pool of ice costumed as Aussie stage, screen and sporting legends include Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus, actor Matt Nable (who lost his brother to MND), former Australian cricket captain and 1999 Australian of the Year Mark Taylor, Olympian and Sunrise co-host Matt Shirvington, AFL legends Peter Daicos and Aaron Davey, netballer Liz Watson and Aussie cricket captain Alyssa Healy. "Since the first Big Freeze in 2015, this movement has grown into a force of nature, fuelled by the generosity of Australians across the country," Daniher says. "The generosity and unwavering spirit of the community has inspired change and fuelled hope." A year after his diagnosis, Daniher co-founded FightMND with Dr Ian Davis and Pat Cunningham. Sadly, MND has since claimed the lives of Dr Davis and Mr Cunningham's wife Angie, but the legacy they created with Daniher lives on. "Neale is an inspiration to many millions of Australians," AFL CEO Andrew Dillon, a FightMND board member, said. "His achievements on the footy field were remarkable, while his legacy off the field in helping raise awareness and find a cure for MND is legendary. There is no bigger champion than Neale, as he continues to amaze us with his resilience, passion and drive, all while keeping his cheeky Daniher wit." While MND has robbed the West Wyalong-born, Riverina-raised Daniher of the ability to speak, he uses eye-gaze technology to communicate. When he accepted his Australian of the Year Award in Canberra in January, his speech was read by a robotic voice. But the voice now sounds like the real Neale thanks to AI and recordings of his media conferences from his coaching days. "It's much better than the robot voice I had, but I don't sit around listening to myself all day," Daniher told 7News. He recently took his message in person to school students in Perth - his first official interstate trip as Australian of the Year. CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE OUR NEXT AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR With his young, WA-based grandson Cooper watching on, he urged the 200 students to face life's challenges with strength and positivity. "What do you wish for someone you love?" he asked. "Most people would say 'I want them to be happy' or healthy or to find something they're passionate about, or maybe to find love; and all of that is important. "But today, I want to give you an alternative. The one thing I really wish for Cooper - and for you - is to learn how to be resilient. "Resilience is simply the ability to bounce back from setbacks, adapt to change and keep going when things get tough. It doesn't mean you don't feel pain, disappointment or frustration. It means you don't let those feelings define you or stop you from moving forward. "You have to find the courage to take responsibility, not to pass the buck, not to procrastinate, not to make excuses. You have to summon something from within you, from the better side of your character, and let it help you rise up." Who inspires you? Who do you think should be our next Australian of the Year? If you see them or hear about them, nominate them before July 31 for the 2026 Australian of the Year Awards at Motor neurone disease warrior Neale Daniher has a simple but powerful message for young people in 2025: learn how to be resilient. "It's not a matter of if life gets tough, it's when and how often," the 2025 Australian of the Year said. "Character isn't just built in the good times - it's built even more in the tough times. Like a nation, like a football club, like a family, strength is forged through struggle." This long weekend the 64-year-old former Melbourne coach and Essendon player will rally the nation once again around FightMND, the charity he co-founded and which has raised $115 million for research to find a cure for the disease he has battled since 2013. FightMND's 11th annual "Big Freeze at the 'G" fundraiser takes place before the June 9 King's Birthday AFL clash between Collingwood and Melbourne. Big Freeze 11 blue beanies have been on sale at Coles and Bunnings stores in recent weeks and the MCG is expected to be a sea of blue on Monday. Inspired by the words of the philosopher Kierkegaard - "Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards" - Daniher said: "This year we're daring everyone to live it forward. To live in the moment. To take bold steps toward a brighter future for those living with MND and in memory of those we've lost." The theme for this year's sliders is "iconic Australians" - a nod to Daniher's Australian of the Year honour. The 10 celebrities taking the toboggan plunge into a pool of ice costumed as Aussie stage, screen and sporting legends include Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus, actor Matt Nable (who lost his brother to MND), former Australian cricket captain and 1999 Australian of the Year Mark Taylor, Olympian and Sunrise co-host Matt Shirvington, AFL legends Peter Daicos and Aaron Davey, netballer Liz Watson and Aussie cricket captain Alyssa Healy. "Since the first Big Freeze in 2015, this movement has grown into a force of nature, fuelled by the generosity of Australians across the country," Daniher says. "The generosity and unwavering spirit of the community has inspired change and fuelled hope." A year after his diagnosis, Daniher co-founded FightMND with Dr Ian Davis and Pat Cunningham. Sadly, MND has since claimed the lives of Dr Davis and Mr Cunningham's wife Angie, but the legacy they created with Daniher lives on. "Neale is an inspiration to many millions of Australians," AFL CEO Andrew Dillon, a FightMND board member, said. "His achievements on the footy field were remarkable, while his legacy off the field in helping raise awareness and find a cure for MND is legendary. There is no bigger champion than Neale, as he continues to amaze us with his resilience, passion and drive, all while keeping his cheeky Daniher wit." While MND has robbed the West Wyalong-born, Riverina-raised Daniher of the ability to speak, he uses eye-gaze technology to communicate. When he accepted his Australian of the Year Award in Canberra in January, his speech was read by a robotic voice. But the voice now sounds like the real Neale thanks to AI and recordings of his media conferences from his coaching days. "It's much better than the robot voice I had, but I don't sit around listening to myself all day," Daniher told 7News. He recently took his message in person to school students in Perth - his first official interstate trip as Australian of the Year. CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE OUR NEXT AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR With his young, WA-based grandson Cooper watching on, he urged the 200 students to face life's challenges with strength and positivity. "What do you wish for someone you love?" he asked. "Most people would say 'I want them to be happy' or healthy or to find something they're passionate about, or maybe to find love; and all of that is important. "But today, I want to give you an alternative. The one thing I really wish for Cooper - and for you - is to learn how to be resilient. "Resilience is simply the ability to bounce back from setbacks, adapt to change and keep going when things get tough. It doesn't mean you don't feel pain, disappointment or frustration. It means you don't let those feelings define you or stop you from moving forward. "You have to find the courage to take responsibility, not to pass the buck, not to procrastinate, not to make excuses. You have to summon something from within you, from the better side of your character, and let it help you rise up." Who inspires you? Who do you think should be our next Australian of the Year? If you see them or hear about them, nominate them before July 31 for the 2026 Australian of the Year Awards at
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
From the Pocket: Neale Daniher's no-nonsense nature keeps Big Freeze from slipping into cliche
It starts with a sore toe, difficulty tying a shoelace, a tingle in a finger. Author Joe Hammond found himself 'like a passenger in the aisle of a plane going through gentle turbulence'. For Ross Lyon's mum, Louise, it started with a twitch in her calf muscle. Within a few months, she couldn't move her arms or legs. Within a year, it was in her throat, and she was unable to breathe. For Don Pyke's father, Frank, it started with difficulty swallowing. He was a professor and a sports scientist and a member of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. In the early 1970s, he played a key role in rehabilitating Dennis Lillee's back. Motor neurone disease (MND) killed him in 16 weeks. Advertisement For Neale Daniher, it started in his hands. He found it hard to peg his shirts on the clothesline. He fumbled with his car keys. A friend noticed his handshake had weakened. Daniher calls it 'the beast' but doctors, researchers, patients and carers around the world call it 'the bastard'. Every day in Australia, two people are diagnosed and two people die. Prof Brad Turner of the Florey Institute says it's 'the most incapacitating disease of our species'. The Danihers are farming people from the baking red dirt of the Riverina. Neale and his 10 brothers and sisters quickly learned there was no room for sentimentality and self-pity. On the farm, you planned for the worst. You never complained. You worked hard. You got on with it. You learned that so much in this world is beyond your control. Neale was the only Daniher sent away to boarding school. He didn't want to be a farmer. He was too curious, too introspective, too restless for that life. He studied theology for a year at the University of Melbourne. He was coached by Ray Carroll at Assumption College and Kevin Sheedy at Essendon, and his own coaching tenure melded their ferocity and cunning. Many of his former players were amazed at the wise-cracking man who emerged later in life. Having been kept at arms-length during their playing careers, so many of them have built enduring, meaningful relationships with the man they once feared, and now adore. Advertisement It's more than a dozen years since Daniher was diagnosed with MND. It's a decade since the inaugural Big Freeze match. So much has changed in that time. The queen's birthday is now the king's birthday. Both Melbourne and Collingwood have cycled between ineptitude and success. Daniher, initially given 27 months at best, has walked two daughters down the aisle, welcomed grandchildren, and been named Australian of the Year. He now uses gaze interaction technology to communicate, utilising his voice from old press conferences. After being woefully underfunded for so long, there's better understanding of MND, there's groundbreaking research, and there's cautious optimism that this thing can eventually be beaten. Initiatives such as the Big Freeze could easily drown in cliche. It could get drawn into tired analogies of sport and death. Football could easily strain to mean more than it does. That was never going to happen with Daniher. He hates it when people call him a hero. He doesn't want pity. He wants a cure. 'When you're dying,' Daniher wrote in his book, 'everyone thinks you're a great bloke. When I was footballer, they had me in the 'natural born leader' box and then the 'unfulfilled talent' box. As a coach they put me in the 'intense bastard' box and now that I have a terminal illness I'm in the 'such an inspiration' box.' Reading that, I think of something The Sopranos creator, David Chase, said: 'Whatever the opposite of bullshit is, that's what I think Jim Gandolfini was searching for.' In every utterance, every joke, every deflection, every dollar raised, that's Daniher – the complete absence of bullshit. Advertisement MND takes nearly everything. It takes your ability to walk, to talk, to hug, to eat, to cry and, eventually, to breathe. I could reel off words like 'inspiration' and 'spirit' and 'courage' and 'grace', but none of them could do justice to what Daniher and the sufferers of MND endure. I think again of that quote – 'the most incapacitating disease of our species'. If that's the case, few could look at Daniher and not see the very best of the species. But he'd say that was bullshit.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
SpaceX launch today: Everything to know about GPS III-7 launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida
It's a meteorological coin toss: Will SpaceX launch a Falcon 9 rocket this afternoon on a Space Force GPS III satellite mission, or will cumulus clouds and summertime thunderstorms trigger a scrub? Stay tuned. SpaceX is targeting a 15-minute window from 1:23 p.m. to 1:38 p.m. to launch a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The Falcon 9 will deploy a Lockheed Martin-built GPS III satellite into medium-Earth orbit, ascending along a northeasterly trajectory. However, the Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron only predicts 45% odds of "go for launch" weather, with "isolated towering cumulus clouds" and surface electric fields posing threats. The National Weather Service calls for a 60% chance of showers and thunderstorms at the Cape — mainly after 2 p.m. — with a high near 91 degrees. What's more, forecasters cite a moderate risk of poor oceangoing conditions for the SpaceX drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas out at sea for the first-stage booster landing. Check back for live FLORIDA TODAY Space Team launch coverage updates on this page, starting about 90 minutes before the launch window opens. When SpaceX's live webcast begins about five minutes before liftoff, look for it posted below next to our countdown clock. Countdown Timer For the latest news from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit Another easy way: Click here to sign up for our weekly Space newsletter. Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at Rneale@ Twitter/X: @RickNeale1 Space is important to us and that's why we're working to bring you top coverage of the industry and Florida launches. Journalism like this takes time and resources. Please support it with a subscription here. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX rocket launch today: What to know before liftoff from Florida
7NEWS
27-05-2025
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Lachie Neale ‘clips' young teammate Will Ashcroft with ‘extraordinary comments'
Agenda Setters host Caroline Wilson says Brisbane captain Lachie Neale's assessment of the professionalism of his young teammate Will Ashcroft were 'extraordinary'. In just his third AFL season, Ashcroft has already announced himself as one of the premier midfielders of the competition, having won a Norm Smith Medal in just his 31st game last year. Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today He is widely regarded as one of the most professional young players in the AFL, and a lot of his early success has been attributed to that by his coaches and those around him. But Neale appeared to see it slightly differently, saying Ashcroft still had some way to go. On Tuesday night, Wilson said: 'Could we have a quick listen to the Brownlow medallist, Lachie Neale, and some extraordinary comments — well, it pricked up my ears anyway.' Asked on SEN if Ashcroft was the most professional player he'd ever seen, Neale fell short of giving praise that high. 'I've seen some pretty professional blokes, and he's still working on his body and what he needs to do to get to that top echelon,' Neale said. 'But he's still learning though and he's got a little way to go to be the most professional, but I think the way he handles himself is first-class.' It was an answer that cause Wilson by surprise. 'I thought that was a bit of a clip and really fascinating,' she said. 'He's got a lot of work to do, clearly.' Neale and Ashcroft were the Lions' two best players in their premiership victory against Sydney last year. They have formed one of the competition's best midfield duos, and complete a superstar quartet with Hugh McCluggage and Josh Dunkley, who comprehensively beat Hawthorn at the weekend. Brisbane (8-1-2) had a short break before hosting Essendon at the Gabba on Thursday night. The Hawks (7-4) face another huge test on Friday night when they face premiership favourites Collingwood at the MCG. Lions forward Charlie Cameron was instrumental in their win over the Hawks, overcoming his early-season form slump break the game open with three goals in three minutes late in the second quarter. 'When you're sort of going through a little stumble —missing goals and opportunities — just to finish your work, it's pretty satisfying,' Cameron said. 'I know how much those little things add up throughout the year ... we've got a big game coming up against Essendon so I can take a lot of confidence from this.'
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
SpaceX may kick off Memorial Day weekend with rocket launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida
In a Memorial Day weekend liftoff, SpaceX is targeting the sunny afternoon of Saturday, May 24, to launch another Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, per the Federal Aviation Administration. The 4½-hour launch window will extend from 1:19 p.m. to 5:50 p.m. SpaceX has yet to publicly confirm this Starlink 12-22 mission or announce a target liftoff time. The Falcon 9 will take flight from Launch Complex 40, ascend in a southeasterly trajectory, and deploy a set of Starlink broadband satellites into low-Earth orbit. Live FLORIDA TODAY Space Team coverage will kick off about 90 minutes before liftoff at Cape Canaveral: Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, Axiom, ULA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral The National Weather Service afternoon forecast for May 24 calls for sunny skies with a high near 90 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, with a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Expect light wind from the east of 5 to 10 mph. This upcoming Starlink mission will clock in as the 44th orbital rocket launch thus far during 2025 from the Space Force installation and NASA's adjacent Kennedy Space Center. For comparison's sake, the 44th launch of 2024 occurred on June 7, two weeks later on the calendar. Of course, last year's unprecedented final total established a new annual record of 93 launches from Florida's Space Coast. This year's cadence is faster. For the latest news from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit Another easy way: Click here to sign up for our weekly Space newsletter. Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at Rneale@ Twitter/X: @RickNeale1 Space is important to us and that's why we're working to bring you top coverage of the industry and Florida launches. Journalism like this takes time and resources. Please support it with a subscription here. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX targets Memorial Day weekend for Falcon 9 rocket launch from Cape
