Ed Fanning’s Cause Of Death Revealed

Australian surfing champion Mick Fanning has been struck with another tragedy following the death of his third brother, Edward. This follows the loss of Sean Fanning, who was killed in a car crash at Coolangatta on the Gold Coast in 1998 at the age of 20, and the death of Peter Fanning, who died aged 43 from a health-related condition in 2015.

Edward’s friend, Coolangatta bodyboarder Stevie Maher, broke the news on Facebook on Tuesday. “Firstly I want to send my condolences to the Fanning family … mum Liz, dad John, sister Rachel and brother Mick,” he wrote on Facebook. “My heart is broken to hear the passing of my best mate. I enjoyed and had so many amazing times with you Eddie. I’m goin’ to miss you Eddie and now you rest in peace.”

Edward was working in Anakao, Madagascar as a surf guide at his time of passing. Kirra Surfriders revealed the cause of death was a reef cut on his foot, which became septic and didn’t respond to antibiotics.

“Ed received a cut to his foot which unfortunately got severely infected to the point he had to be rush by boat to the nearest major city an hour away, to be in hospital. The hospital did everything they could to help Ed but the infection was to strong and Ed’s heart gave away,” they wrote on FB.

Mick is now the last remaining son of Liz Osborne and John Fanning. His sister, Rachel Fanning, who works as a psychologist, lives nearby on the Gold Coast. 

In 2015, following a divorce, shark attack and the death of his older brother Peter, Mick told 60 Minutes, “I was like ‘what else? What else can be taken in a year?’ At the end of 2015, I just hit rock bottom.”

What a cruel, cruel set of circumstances. Our hearts go out to the Fanning family.