One of the two survivors who spent weeks underground during the Beaconsfield mine disaster will spend his finals days with family after a years long health battle.
Todd Russell and Brant Webb became household names as the nation waited 14 days for the pair to emerge from the collapsed Tasmanian mine on May 9, 2006.
Footage of the pair leaving the mine and “clocking out” after weeks underground then spread across the world, an act celebrated for being exemplary of Aussie humour during the 20-year anniversary in May.
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Russell went on to become a motivational speaker, recounting his time in the mine to help others better themselves.
On Tuesday, just months after the 20th anniversary, Russell took to social media to announce he was nearing the end of his life.
“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,” he wrote.
“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.
“I will 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 ended the post by thanking the staff at Launceston General Hospital for their help during “an incredibly difficult journey”.
Russell revealed in July 2024 that he had been given “some unfortunate health news and has been unwell”.
“Unfortunately due to this, some big decisions have had to be made and Todd will be out of action until the end of the year,” the post reads.
It is unclear what Russell has been battling but he spoke to 7NEWS from hospital for the 20th anniversary.
“I started, you know, yelling and screaming for both Larry and Brant with no response from either,” he said, recounting his time stuck underground.
Both he and Webb opened up about their mental health struggles after being freed from the mine.
“It has been a bit of a rollercoaster the last 20 years,” Russell said.
“I thought, man, I thought it was dark in the mine until I got mental health issues,” Webb said.
