AFLW player Taylor Smith is channeling her personal grief into a powerful mission, advocating for heart health awareness following the sudden death of her father, Shaun, five years ago. The Brisbane Lions premiership hero, who now plays for the Sydney Swans, is sharing her story as part of the Heart Foundation’s ‘We’re All In’ fundraising campaign, aiming to prevent other families from experiencing similar heartbreak.

A Life Cut Short, A Legacy of Love

The joy of Taylor Smith’s first AFLW premiership with the Brisbane Lions was tragically short-lived. Just six months after the club secured its maiden title, her father, Shaun, passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack at the age of 52. This sudden loss left an immense void in Smith’s life and that of her family.

“Grief is a crazy process for everyone. It’s up and down all the time. There are little moments where you reflect on it, or might look at a picture, and the reality of it might just hit you in the face,” Smith shared, reflecting on the profound impact of her father’s death five years on.

Her mother, who lost her “soulmate” at a time when she and Shaun were finally enjoying a renewed phase of life together, has been deeply affected. Smith described their idyllic life filled with jet skis and wine tours, a stark contrast to the void left by Shaun’s absence. The ripple effect of his death extended to her grandparents, who lost their son, a pain no parent should endure.

A New Beginning Fueled by Loss

After 76 games with the Lions, Smith embarked on a new chapter with the Sydney Swans. Her debut was a resounding success, with a game-high three goals inspiring her new team to an eight-point victory. Her mother’s unwavering support was evident, with Smith noting her mother’s enjoyment of the media coverage surrounding her games.

Smith believes her father, a lifelong Brisbane supporter, would have embraced her move to the Swans. “I think he’d be a Swans supporter now as well. I think he’d appreciate the chance I took and the steps I took to grow as a person and challenge myself,” she stated. For Smith, her father’s approval was rooted in her personal growth and willingness to embrace new challenges, rather than team loyalties.

The profound realization that “life is so short” after her father’s passing became a powerful catalyst for change. Smith recounted her father’s unfulfilled dream of a family ski trip to Japan, a poignant reminder of how quickly opportunities can vanish. This experience instilled in her a deep desire to live life to its absolute fullest, to constantly challenge herself, and to avoid complacency.

A Shared Passion, A Father’s Influence

A unique aspect of Smith’s relationship with her father was the recurring theme of shared passions. She recalled discovering that her father had also set a high jump record in primary school, mirroring her own achievement. Similarly, when she decided to pursue Australian rules football, he revealed he had been the captain of his local club.

This sense of shared ambition and drive, influenced by her father’s own life experiences, now fuels her determination to make a difference.

Championing Heart Health: The ‘We’re All In’ Campaign

Taylor Smith is now leveraging her personal tragedy to drive significant change through her involvement with the Heart Foundation’s ‘We’re All In’ campaign. This initiative focuses on raising crucial funds for heart disease research, a condition that remains a leading cause of death in Australia, claiming approximately 115 lives daily.

The campaign highlights a concerning statistic from the foundation’s State of the Heart Survey 2025, revealing that 70 percent of people do not perceive heart disease as a personal risk at their current stage of life. This perception is particularly frustrating for Smith, given her mother’s repeated, yet often dismissed, advice to her father to get his heart checked, despite his claims of being healthy.

Smith described the emotional toll of filming the campaign. While feeling strong and empowered by the message she was conveying, the repeated recounting of her father’s death led to an emotional breakdown the following day. “I just crashed and burned because the reality of saying ‘I lost my dad to a heart attack’ multiple times to get the right shot really hit me,” she explained.

Despite the personal difficulty, Smith found the experience empowering, recognizing the potential for her vulnerability to save lives. “Hopefully, it will save a few lives. If it saves two lives it means all those family members related to that person don’t have to go through what my family went through,” she stated, underscoring the profound impact she hopes her advocacy will have.

Looking Ahead: AFLW Season and Continued Advocacy

As the AFLW season progresses, Smith and the Sydney Swans are focused on maintaining their undefeated streak. Their next challenge comes against Essendon on Sunday. Beyond the field, Smith’s commitment to heart health advocacy remains a central pillar of her life, driven by the enduring love and memory of her father.