Bentley Cricket Club to raise funds for Red Nose WA with T20 Family Day

BENTLEY Cricket Club will raise funds for a cause close to its heart at the T20 Family Day event on February 18.

State Treasurer Ben Wyatt will play to raise money for Red Nose WA, alongside past and present club members including Glen ‘Freighter’ Hewitt who lost his toddler son suddenly in 2014.

“He went down for his midday nap and never woke up,” Mr Hewitt said of his son Vaelen.

Attempts to resuscitate the toddler were unsuccessful and Vaelen had no health issues prior to his death at two years, eight months and nine days of age.

An autopsy determined Vaelen died of Sudden Unexpected Death in Children – which can occur at any time through to teenagehood.

Mr Hewitt and wife Britt had 10-month-old daughter Pallas at the time and a year after Vaelen’s death, Kaisen was born.

The couple are painfully aware of the mortality of their children, especially at bed time.

“Since Vaelen died, I now say the following words to Vaelen’s little sister Pallas and little brother Kaisen whenever we put them down for a sleep: ‘I’m very proud of you, I’m very proud to be your Daddy. And I love you very, very much. Always have. Always will’.”

Mr Hewitt has played about 180 games in the past 20 years with the club, and in recent years has helped raise about $80,000 for Red Nose WA.

Statistics from the Red Nose WA website show that in 2015 there were 113 deaths in Australia classed as Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy.

The charity event will open at noon at the club’s home ground on Wyong Reserve, Baldock Street in Bentley, with the T20 match of Legends XI vs President’s XI starting at 1pm.

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