Beaconsfield mine collapse survivor Todd Russell, 54, has announced he will leave hospital treatment to “see out his days” at home, surrounded by his family.
Mr Russell was one of two Tasmanian miners who gained international attention after being trapped underground by a rockfall at the Beaconsfield gold mine in northern Tasmania on Anzac Day 2006. He and co-worker Brant Webb were discovered alive six days after the body of a third miner, Larry Knight, was found. The rescue operation lasted another eight days, with Mr Russell surviving 14 days underground.
In July 2024, it was reported that Mr Russell had received “some unfortunate health news and has been unwell”. In October last year, he posted an image from hospital, stating he had begun treatment for an undisclosed illness and hoped to “get back to my old self”.
Today, Mr Russell took to social media to announce his decision. He stated that “after years of pain, uncertainty, appointments, treatments, setbacks, and endless battles plus the emotional exhaustion of having to pick myself up time and time again, have left me with nothing left to give”.
Mr Russell added that “The time has come, medically and physically, where there are no further options on either front for me, and there is no more fight left in me.” He confirmed he would “leave hospital tomorrow after eight and a half months for the last time to see out my days in my own home surrounded by my wife, kids, loved ones and friends.”
He also posted a “massive thank you to the incredible staff at the Launceston General Hospital” for their “overwhelming support, care and kindness have helped to soften the daily grind of what has been an incredibly difficult journey”.
Until recently, Mr Russell was active in his local community as a firefighter and worked as a motivational speaker, discussing his experience at the mine. He has also openly spoken about his battle with mental health challenges following the Beaconsfield incident.