General Tala Mailei, aged 17 found dead

[Freddie Futler]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11566579

A young Warriors player has been found dead in Christchurch today.

Tala Mailei, 17, had been training with the Warriors' wider under-20 squad since last month and had returned home for Christmas.

Details of Mailei's death were unclear but the Warriors released a statement this evening.
The said Mailei was included in the squad "after impressing coaching staff at the club's annual open NYC trial in Auckland in early October".

"He was home for the Christmas break and was due to resume training with the squad in the New Year," the statement said.

Warriors managing director Jim Doyle said everyone at the club is devastated about Mailei's death.

"We're in shock. This is dreadful for Tala's family and also for all of us at the club," he said.

"We are giving the family all the support we can and will also be offering the same for all our players and staff.

 

[Defence]

Terrible news.
Nothing worse than losing one so young.
Rest easy tala.

 

[jsmooove]

thoughts and prayers with the family and friends. thats tragic news especially in the holiday season

 

[Onewarrior]

Very sad, RIP Tala.

 

[the borg]

My condolences to his family and friends. Such an awful tradgedy. Arohanui

 

[Freddie Futler]

Anyone from Christchurch who can give us a few more details?
Such a tragedy right on Christmas and sounds like he had a lot to look forward to.

 

[Miket12]

New Zealand Warriors under-20s player Tala Mailei 'created sunshine wherever he went'

SAM SHERWOOD

NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS
Tala Mailei had been training with the Warriors’ wider under-20 squad since November.



Tala Mailei's former principal can still remember the first time he met the "strapping young man" who "created sunshine wherever he went".

The 17-year-old "rising star" was found dead in Christchurch on Sunday.


Mailei had been training with the Warriors' wider under-20 squad since last month after impressing coaching staff at the club's annual open NYC trial in Auckland in October.

He was home for the Christmas break and was due to resume training with the squad in the new year.

READ MORE: New Zealand Warriors reeling after player's death

Mailei went to Aranui High School for one year. His principal there, John Rohs, said he could still remember the first day they met.

"I just happened to see this strapping young man come up to the front counter and I was curious to know who he was.

"I went out and he introduced himself to me and I was just impressed with him from the very first moment I met him."

Rohs said the school was "absolutely gutted" by Mailei's death.

Mailei had been a member of Aranui's rugby league academy.

He played for the school at the New Zealand Rugby League national secondary schools' tournament this year.

The academy's Facebook page contained several updates on his progress, including one wishing him luck as he headed north to training with the Warriors.

Warriors owner Eric Watson also tweeted his condolences to those close to Mailei, saying: "So very sad to hear about Tala Mailei. My thoughts are with his family and friends and with the @NZWarriors at this time."

Warriors managing director Jim Doyle said club was in constant communication with Mailei's family.

"We're talking to them on a regular basis to keep working through and finding out more and more details all the time and looking at what we can do.

"Once we find out exactly when things are, we'll have representatives (in Christchurch) from the club to deal with the appropriate people."

"It's not our place to be talking about what happened and how it happened," said Doyle.

"We'll leave that up to the family."

On Sunday, Doyle said everyone at the club was devastated about Mailei's death.

"We're in shock. This is dreadful for Tala's family and also for all of us at the club," he said in a statement on the club's website.

"We are giving the family all the support we can and will also be offering the same for all our players and staff.

"Tala had impressed our staff and was set to be part of our NYC squad in 2016."

- Stuff

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/leagu...tala-mailei-created-sunshine-wherever-he-went

 

[Johnnyray]

Just heard the tragic news.

It's always so sad to see someone so young with so much to give to go so soon ...

All my thoughts and prayers go out to his friends and family at this sad time ...

 

[Centurion]

terrible, terrible tragedy!

Rest easy Tala.

 

[Wellington Warrior]

So sad...one news reported it as taking his own life as was suffering from depression.

 

[Centurion]

So sad...one news reported it as taking his own life as was suffering from depression.

... more details to come...

 

[bruce]

So sad...one news reported it as taking his own life as was suffering from depression.

That is just tragic.

 

[Warriorholic]

:-( reach out people, just because people appear to be loving life, doesn't mean they aren't dying inside. Next time you ask someone how they are, ask them again "how are you really" If they trust you, you may save someones life.

 

[Centurion]

so many have passed in the last 3 years! What's going on with our boys?

 

[gREVUS]

so many have passed in the last 3 years! What's going on with our boys?

Unfortunately its always been there, but not often talked about. Fortunately it is now something people talk about.

Ive had different levels of depression and anxiety since my Heart Attack. And while i like to say i am over it, still find somethings more stressful than i should and over react to them. Also the number of people that i know that have also suffered clinical depression is way more than i expected when i was a young gun. Im starting to realise that it aint that uncommon.

 

[Freddie Futler]

Unfortunately its always been there, but not often talked about. Fortunately it is now something people talk about.

Ive had different levels of depression and anxiety since my Heart Attack. And while i like to say i am over it, still find somethings more stressful than i should and over react to them. Also the number of people that i know that have also suffered clinical depression is way more than i expected when i was a young gun. Im starting to realise that it aint that uncommon.

What? a Warriors supporter and only one heart Attack?

Nah just kidding mate, good post and does need to be talked about.

 

[bruce]

Unfortunately its always been there, but not often talked about. Fortunately it is now something people talk about.

That is why John Kirwan deserved his knighthood. He must have saved countless lives.

Ive had different levels of depression and anxiety since my Heart Attack. And while i like to say i am over it, still find somethings more stressful than i should and over react to them.

Very common I understand, but I didn't have any idea before I had a heart attack. I got warned about it before I left hospital. I am now signed up to depression.org.

I really feel for the young guy. I didn't know him but I wouldn't be surprised to hear that he was a great young guy who gave no signs of it. The average young guy doesn't go to training and talk to his mates about his depression, just the opposite. Also it is difficult to describe to somebody who hasn't suffered it but when you find somebody who does it really makes a difference.

 

[Johnnyray]

Yeah just want to leave these numbers on here in case anybody who's on here reading this is feeling same way :

Lifeline NZ : 0800 543 354. www.lifeline.org.nz/ NZ Suicide Hotline : 0800 111 757 www.depression.org.nz/

 

[jonno]

There's two kinds of depression. The first is when someone isn't afraid to share it with the world. These people blow off steam until they feel sane. Not a great party trick, but it gets the job done.

Then there's the ones who hide it behind a fake friendly image. Much harder life.

All they have to do is tell someone smart they're not doing so good...

 

[snake77]

reach out people, just because people appear to be loving life, doesn't mean they aren't dying inside. Next time you ask someone how they are, ask them again "how are you really" If they trust you, you may save someones life.

Fantastic advice. I was once feeling pretty down and ended up at the gym. This Fijian guy who most of my conversations with him were providing cheek back and forth for some reason tone hat day he came over and decided to ask me a bunch of questions and strike up a conversation. Damn did just that simple conversation put me in a better space.

That is why when I've been asked from anyone that they know someone that is depressed my advice is to talk to them. The Australian campaign "Are you Ok" is a great first step but also get the person talking. It doesn't have to be about what is bothering them a change of subject could make a world of difference.

For any young people out there having a hard time. Find someone you can trust, talk to them open up. Find a way to work through what ever is bothering you. That could be something you want to experience. To lighten the mood a little I wanted to see my team win a premiership (that's given me quite a few years). If you can work through it as you get older you will appreciate life's ups and downs. You may have kids of you own and realize how devastated you would be if something happened to them. That same feeling applies to the people you leave behind.