Jarrod Lyle passes away

AUSTRALIAN PGA Tour golfer and The Sands Torquay member Jarrod Lyle passed away last week at the age of 36.

Lyle decided about two weeks ago to stop treatment for cancer and enter palliative care, and moved back to Torquay.

Golf Australia and the PGA of Australia released a statement from Lyle’s wife Briony on August 9.

“It breaks my heart to tell everyone that Jarrod is no longer with us,” she wrote.

“He passed away peacefully at 8.20pm last night, having spent his final week in Torquay among his family and close friends.

“Lusi, Jemma and I are filled with grief and now must confront our lives without the greatest husband and father we could ever have wished for.

“At the same time, we have been blessed and overwhelmed with the messages and actions of support from around the world and feel comforted that Jarrod was able to happily impact so many people throughout his life. Our humble thanks to you all.

“Jarrod was able to take in many of the unbelievably kind and generous acts and words in his final few days and was overwhelmed by the emotional outpouring.

“He asked that I provide a simple message: ‘Thanks for your support, it meant the world. My time was short, but if I’ve helped people think and act on behalf of those families who suffer through cancer, hopefully it wasn’t wasted’.

“As per Jarrod’s wish, please donate to Challenge in lieu of gifts or flowers.”

A public memorial service will be held at The Sands at a later date.

Lyle was a long-time ambassador for Challenge, and Challenge chief executive officer David Rogers posted a heartfelt tribute on the charity’s Facebook page last week.

“If we can draw anything from Jarrod’s passing today, it is to be humble and always see the bigger picture,” he wrote.

“Jarrod, through all his successes always remained grounded; through all his hardships he always saw beyond himself and the power and purpose of his journey; through his love for his family, he was the best person he could be and that is something to be extremely proud of.