Todd Russell, one of only two miners to survive the Beaconsfield mine disaster in Tasmania, has died aged 54 after a battle with leukaemia.
Russell died at home on Monday night surrounded by family and friends, his son Trent Russell announced the following morning.
“He fought an uphill battle, but like everything he did in life, his final moments were on his own terms,” he said.
“Last night, in the comfort of his own home and surrounded by loved ones, Todd/Dad took his last breath after six days at home filled with family, friends, love and laughter.
“Rest easy, you will be forever missed.”
Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff also paid tribute to Russell, saying his thoughts were with his loved ones and “everyone who had the absolute pleasure of knowing him”.
The Beaconsfield mine disaster
Russell and his friend Brant Webb were among 17 people working at the Beaconsfield gold mine, north of Launceston, when a small earthquake caused a rockfall on April 25, 2006.
Miner Larry Knight, 44, was killed in the collapse, while Russell and Webb became trapped in the basket of the vehicle they had been working in. The other 14 miners escaped.
The pair freed themselves from the rubble and reached a small space beneath thousands of precariously placed rocks. They survived for two weeks on groundwater seeping through the rocks and a single muesli bar Webb had brought for his shift.
Rescuers reached them five days after the collapse, on April 30, bringing food, fresh water, medical supplies and letters from their families.
Russell and Webb were finally brought to the surface shortly before 6am on May 9, after 14 nights underground. Images of the pair pumping their fists, changing their safety tags to “safe” and embracing their families became recognised around the world.
Russell was treated in hospital for injuries sustained during the collapse and the ordeal. He was discharged in time to attend Knight’s funeral.
Speaking in 2023, Russell recalled telling organisers to make sure television presenter David Koch was present when he emerged from the mine, adding: “I’ve always been a Sunrise fan.”
Russell went on to serve his community through his local Australian Rules football team and as a volunteer firefighter for 31 years. He also became a motivational speaker, sharing his experience to help others.
He announced he would be stepping back from those roles after being diagnosed with leukaemia in July 2024. Following extended periods in hospital, Russell left on November 3 to spend his final days at home.
“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 said.
“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.”
Webb said Russell’s death was a tragedy for his family and paid tribute to the friend with whom he had shared the ordeal underground.
“We were two guys stuck there, couldn’t escape,” he said. “It was hard to keep each other positive, you know …. And we did that successfully with the help of a lot of rescuers.”
Russell is survived by his wife, Donna, and his three children.
