Former Defense Minister Joel Fitzgibbon has revealed the heartbreaking moment he received a phone call informing him that his son had suffered a skydiving accident that would later claim his life.
Corporal Jack Fitzgibbon, 33, died on March 6 after an accident at the RAAF base in Richmond, about 50 kilometers north of Sydney.
Jack suffered critical head injuries and was rushed to Westmead Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Fitzgibbon, who served as Australia’s Defense Minister from 2007 to 2009, fought back tears as he spoke candidly about his son’s death, saying his heart was “still broken”.
In an interview with News from heaven Host Erin Molan, who also cried at times, said the father getting the call was “the worst moment of my life.”
She had first been told about the accident while at a restaurant in Sydney and was trying to remain optimistic that her son would pull through.
He then received another call from Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles as he headed to Westmead Hospital.
“(I was) trying to think the best, but when Richard Marles called me halfway (to the hospital), you know, having made those calls myself, I knew that for the minister, receiving information was very, very serious.” ‘, said.
“I used to make these calls and never expected to get one.”
Joel Fitzgibbon (pictured) broke down in tears in a TV interview as he spoke about the moment he received the dreaded phone call informing him that his son Jack had been seriously injured.
Corporal Jack Fitzgibbon (pictured right) died on March 6 while carrying out a routine drill at a RAAF base in Richmond, northwest of Sydney, when his parachute failed to open.
It is understood Jack’s parachute failed to open during a training exercise and the 33-year-old used a knife to try to free himself and deploy his reserve parachute.
The knife was found in the qualified skydiver’s fingertips after he hit the ground following the 14,000-foot jump.
Fitzgibbon said he felt “comforted” by the fact that his son died doing something he loved and lost his life serving his country.
“The Fitzys are nothing if not tough and resilient, we’re going to get through it, we’re tough,” he said.
“Two weeks later, we’re laughing more than we’re crying.”
He also spoke about meeting another grieving father at Commando Welfare Trust.
‘At one point in the conversation, I realized that he seemed to me as if he had lost his son some time ago. And I asked her, “When did you lose your son?” “15 years ago,” she said.
And I was still broken. “That scared me a bit,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.
The former defense minister said he was never worried about Jack “jumping out of planes” and was more cautious about what his son would do with his mates.
“I mean your son is jumping out of planes at 24,000 feet, it doesn’t seem very rational but you convince yourself he’ll be fine,” he said.
“His mother worried more than I did, but not excessively, but of course he always said, you know, ‘everything will be okay, Mom.’
Through tears, Fitzgibbon said he would miss texting Jack during the football match as both father and son are avid Newcastle Knights fans.
He said he had lost interest in the things he once shared with Jack.
A tearful Fitzgibbon said she would miss texting Jack (pictured) during the football match with father and son, avid Newcastle Knights fans.
‘I’m sure that will come back. But texting him, that opportunity, will never come back,” Fitzgibbon said.
When asked if she had reviewed text messages with her son, she wiped away tears and said “yes.”
Investigations are currently underway into the cause of Jack’s death.
“We’re not going to be an angry family, obviously, we ourselves are integrated into the defense family,” he said.
‘We owe it to Jack and those who are still willing to jump or are still jumping to ask the hard questions.
It will always be in our minds. We don’t need a birthday or something significant (to remember him).’
Following Jack’s death, Fitzgibbon made an emotional statement to Australian Defense Force Acting Special Operations Commander Brigadier James Kidd in memory of his son.
“We are devastated and heartbroken by the loss of our wonderful Jack,” she wrote.
‘Serving in the special forces was Jack’s dream job and we take comfort in the fact that he died serving his nation.
“Our lives will never be the same without Jack, but we will always be proud of him and his many achievements.”
Jack leaves behind his sisters Caitlin and Grace, his mother Dianne and his father Joel.