Award-winning sports journalist Rebecca Wilson has died after a long and private battle with breast cancer, aged 54.
She died at her home in Sydney surrounded by family, including husband John Hartigan and their sons Tom and Will.
“Courage has always been a significant part of her DNA, no less in her desperate battle against her insidious disease,” the family said in a statement.
“Rebecca kept knowledge of her illness a closely guarded secret. The majority of her friends, colleagues and indeed members of her family were unaware of the extent of her illness. She did so to limit their suffering.
Wilson was a trail blazer as a female in the male dominated world of sports journalism, and the family said they couldn’t have been prouder of her.
“She brushed aside evil trolls, bullies and organised crime figures to prosecute her craft.
“She proved that women had an equally important role in sports journalism as her male counterparts.”
Tributes have been pouring in on social media since the news of her death broke this morning.
