- John Bilbija played rugby league in the 1980s for many Sydney clubs
- Diagnosed with early-onset dementia almost a decade ago
- His wife Michelle has revealed his sad daily existence.
The wife of former rugby league star John Bilbija has revealed how a diagnosis of early-onset dementia has changed his life and left him unable to care for himself.
But despite the huge obstacles they face as a family, Michelle Bilbija has no plans to sue the NRL because “winning a court case will not bring him back to the man he was”.
Bilbija, 65, represented teams such as Balmain, Parramatta, Western Suburbs and South Sydney in the 1980s, and the second rower was left stunned after receiving the horrible news from a doctor just under a decade ago.
“Frankly, I’m surprised he’s still with us today,” said Michelle, his wife of 43 years. Wide World of Sports.
“He is just a shadow of the lovely man he was… He has reached a point where he can’t feed himself, he can’t talk, he can’t dress himself… he needs full-time care.”
John Bilbija represented teams such as Balmain, Parramatta, Western Suburbs and South Sydney in the 1980s, and the second rower was diagnosed with early-onset dementia by a doctor just under a decade ago.
“The lights are on, but no one is home.”
The sad development comes as Bilbija’s former teammate, South Sydney great Mario Fenech, is also battling early-onset dementia stemming from his playing days.
The Bilbijas struggle week after week for meager pensions and, although they receive some help from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), they have had to move out of Sydney due to financial pressures.
Bilbija also recently developed Parkinson’s disease.
The former footballer has agreed to donate brain to science once he dies, something his devastated wife believes will not be far down the road.
“Let’s hope that something good comes out of the research they use it for,” he said.
‘If John had known the dangers, he would never have played.
South Sydney great Mario Fenech is also battling early-onset dementia stemming from his playing days.
“There is not enough awareness among today’s players… They are also bigger and stronger than the players who existed in John’s era.”
Fenech, who celebrated his 61st birthday last November, suffers from memory loss and has the brain of an 80-year-old after being diagnosed with early dementia eight years ago.
After turning full-time to his 274-game career in the 1990s, Fenech became a regular feature on Channel Nine’s long-running NRL Footy Show.
His wife Rebecca Fenech suspects many other retired players have not been in touch because her husband can be a difficult mirror to look at as she pleads with them for the future of rugby league.
“He played that game with a lot of passion, he loved it,” Mrs Fenech said.
The truth is that I don’t know what to tell you.
“It just helps, helps make this game safer.”