Inside Shane Warne’s tragic trip to Thailand from £2k-a-night luxury villa to last meal and touching final gesture
IT was supposed to be a relaxing beach holiday with friends in the sun, but tragically for Shane Warne it was the last trip he would ever take.
The cricket legend died of a suspected heart attack aged 52 on Friday in Thailand. Here we take a look at how the Australian spinner spent his final days.
£2,000-a-night villa
Shane had booked a luxurious £2,000-a-night villa on Koh Samui island with beach access for the break after a busy spell commentating cricket in Australia.
He’d opted for the private resort of Samujana Villas, nestled in a stunning hillside in the Cheong Mon area.
Samujana’s website describes it as “the perfect place for friends and family to gather and have a great time” and promises guests an “unparalleled luxury experience”.
The luxury resort boasts up to 23 “charming” villas, which can have up to eight bedrooms.
Shane’s final social media post was a snap of the view from his balcony at the villa showing off the infinity pool and sea, captioned: “Goodnight from @samujanavillas Koh Samui” with a heart emoji.
Final shopping trip
Shane ordered a new tailored suit on the island hours before he died.
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Tailor Parsuram Panday, 44, said he popped in at midday on Friday and was “so happy, strong and full of life and energy” when he arrived at the shop.
He added that Shane told him he was ready for a break after a busy summer in Australia and was looking forward to going out to the bars on the island.
Parsuram said: “I love cricket and Shane Warne was a hero of mine. It was a great privilege to make his suits.
“He was due to collect his clothes on Saturday or Sunday so when I saw the news that he had died, I was shocked. I was devastated.”
Visit from masseuse
Shane’s final day included receiving a massage from two local masseuses at around 4pm, and he reportedly “looked lively and happy” when it was finished.
The local police chief said: “He called the girl to massage. It was just massage. He didn’t die because of the massage. He wasn’t well.”
Thai police claimed that Shane’s family told them had some asthma and heart issues.
Shane’s friends who were with him were all unaware that he had been to a doctor before the trip, but one said he had complained of “some chest pains and shortness of breath”.
Last meal
One of the four pals who joined Shane on the Thailand trip was Sporting News chief executive Tom Hall, who met him at a charity poker tournament 15 years ago.
Tom revealed what Shane ate for his final meal in a touching article paying tribute to his friend.
“I have dined with Shane in many fine establishments, but rather than sample some of the local Thai fare, we tuck into a plate of Vegemite on toast,” Hall wrote.
“Shane chomping away: ‘Geez, you can’t beat Vegemite with some butter, always great wherever you are in the world’.
“An Australian through and through – this was to turn out to be his last meal.”
Yesterday Tom shared a poignant photo of the jar of Vegemite to Instagram, with one fan commenting: “The picture says it all. Last meal and true to the end.”
Touching final gesture
Tom and fellow companions Andrew Neophitou, Gareth ‘Gaz’ Edwards and Fred Witherow had been watching the Australia versus Pakistan test match in the villa at the former bowler’s request in the afternoon before he died.
Just a few balls into the match, Tom told how Shane rushed off to his room and returned with an “armful” of clothes.
He revealed: “Shane had been working with me at The Sporting News for the past year or so and he presented me with his jumper from the 2005 Ashes Test, his 2008 IPL shirt and a one-day international shirt and cap to place in the TSN offices in Australia and the UK.”
After Tom and Shane tucked into their Vegemite dinner, dad-of-three Shane left Tom to go to his room.
Tom wrote: “Ever the caring father, as I was leaving, he headed up to his bedroom to call his kids.”
‘Operation Shred’
Days before his death, Shane shared a post on social media revealing his plans to get back into shape.
He had allegedly gone on an extreme 14 day liquid diet in an attempt to slim down.
He captioned an Instagram photo: “Operation shred has started (10 days in) and the goal by July is to get back to this shape from a few years ago! Let’s go.”
Shane’s long-time manager James Erskine said: “It was a bit all or nothing. It was either white buns with butter and lasagne stuffed in the middle, or he would be having black and green juices.”
Tom said Shane knew he was “a bit overweight” and was “getting back into training harder”.
Found unresponsive
Shane was found collapsed in his room at 5pm by his business manager, Mr Neophitou, and at 7pm was declared dead. A post mortem was being carried out last night.
His manager James Erskine said the group were due to go for drinks when his pal knocked on his door and realised “something was wrong”.
James added: “He went in there and said, ‘Come on, you’re going to be late’ and then realised something was wrong.
“And he turned him over and gave him CPR and mouth to mouth, which lasted about 20 minutes and then the ambulance came.
“They took him to the hospital, which was about a 20-minute drive and I got a phone call about 45 minutes later saying he was pronounced dead.”
Paramedic Anuch Han-iam told The Sun on Sunday: “Shane’s friends were already trying to bring him back to life.
“I took over doing CPR while we waited for an ambulance.
“They were desperate. I think one was crying. They were really stressed and panicked.
“They kept trying to wake him and I heard someone saying, ‘Come on, Shane. Come on, Shane’.
“I did my best for him and gave all my energy. I’m so sorry that I couldn’t help him.”
Warne died of “natural causes”, his autopsy has revealed according to Thai police.
A state funeral is planned in Australia for the cricketing great when his body is returned home, with Melbourne Cricket Ground, Shane’s home turf, suggested as the “most fitting” venue.