Dani Laidley opens up about heartbreaking family breakup on The Project: ‘It’s the biggest black hole of my life’
Dani Laidley spoke Tuesday about the sadness she feels at being separated from her daughters Brooke and Molly.
The former AFL star player, 56, spoke to Waleed Aly on The Project and revealed she was heartbroken after her daughters stopped speaking to her following her gender transition.
“It’s the biggest black hole of my life. I can only imagine what they went through with their friends and work colleagues,” she began.
Laidley admitted she thought her daughters thought she “chose” to transition to Dani despite their feelings.
“That’s definitely not the case. I chose to live and be here but it has to be like me, otherwise it’s not like me at all. The decision to be here like me is theirs.
Dani Laidley spoke Tuesday about the sadness she feels at being separated from her daughters Brooke and Molly. Pictured: Dani with her son Kane
Dani then said that she was hopeful for the future because she heard one of her daughters ask a relative for a copy of her memoir Don’t Look Away, showing that they were still interested in her life.
Laidley was accompanied during the interview by her son Kane, the only one of her three children with ex-wife Joanne, from whom she is not estranged.
It comes after Dani revealed the huge risk she took while still hiding her true self from family, friends and football stars while coaching at North Melbourne.
The former AFL star player, 56, spoke to Waleed Aly (pictured) on The Project and revealed she was heartbroken after her daughters stopped speaking to her following her gender transition.
Dani revealed her son Kane’s support helped her through tough times
New Stan’s Original Documentary Revealed – Danielle Laidley: Two Tribes shows the 56-year-old meeting former teammates and players for the first time since her struggle with her gender identity and transition to female became public.
Before transitioning, Danielle played in the AFL for West Coast and then North Melbourne as Dean Laidley.
Stan Original Documentary Revealed – Danielle Laidley: Two Tribes will premiere on September 19 only on Stan.
Laidley admitted she thought her daughters thought she ‘chose’ to move on to Dani despite their feelings
The documentary also reveals the shocking way her children found out she had transitioned, as well as the heartbreaking moment she recounts her suicide attempt.
In 2020, Dani’s life spiraled out of control when she was arrested on stalking charges amid a struggle with drug addiction.
A Victoria police officer leaked photos of Dani in custody to the media, publicly outing her before she revealed it to other family members and friends.
In the documentary, she speaks candidly about her life as a closeted transgender woman in the AFL, her arrest and how she found her true self over the past three years.
Dani then said that she was hopeful for the future because she heard one of her daughters ask a relative for a copy of her memoir Don’t Look Away, showing that they were still interested in her life.
