Harvey's pre-match gesture praised
The mother of a wheelchair-bound Fremantle supporter has praised Mark Harvey for personally handing out scarves to fans in wheelchairs at last weekend’s game
Sue Keay’s 18-year-old daughter, Sophie, is in a wheelchair because she has brittle bones, so much so that they can break when she sneezes.
Eight years ago Sophie was invited into the Freo change rooms through the Starlight Foundation where she had the pleasure of chatting to Jeff Farmer.
Having been a Freo member for the past seven years, Sue has developed a close friendship with another mum who also has an adult son in a wheelchair. He has cerebral palsy and has also just been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
During last week Mark Harvey, Michael Barlow and Hayden Ballantyne paid him a visit.
So touched by his encounter, Harvey decided that he would personally go around Subiaco Oval and hand scarves to Freo fans in wheelchairs at Saturday’s final.
“I know upwards of 40 to 50 to 60 people come and watch the football in their wheelchairs,” Harvey said.
“I thought I would go around before the game and present them with a scarf to appreciate how hard life has been for them and how they come and support the team on a fortnightly basis.”
Sue said Harvey’s gesture did “more to lift their spirits than anyone could imagine”.
“It is gestures such as these that really give people such as us a real lift,” she said.
“Having a disability and being a carer for someone with who does can sometimes make you feel very isolated and burdened.
“The Freo Footy Club gave us an enormous amount of pleasure.
“Congratulations to Mark Harvey on being such a damn good bloke.”