MEDIA: Beloved footy coach passes away at 34

On Saturday night, Victorian father-of-two passed away suddenly at home aged just 34. Being survived by his wife and two young children, a friend immediately began a crowdfunding campaign to assist the young family. In two days they received almost 500 donations from devastated family, friends, and former colleagues.

Mitchell Cade Williams was a well-loved husband, father, footy coach, and PE teacher. His passing rocked the local community and loving tributes flooded the mycause fundraising page set up in his honour, as covered in The Herald Sun, Daily Mail, and Star Weekly.

Mitchells’ friend Callum Glassford, from Taylors Lakes in Victoria, began the fundraiser after Mitchell died unexpectedly in his home on Saturday 2 July. Glassford wanted to help Willams’ wife, Casey, and two daughters, Lila aged three and Zoe aged one, with funeral costs and other expenses.

After an explosion of donations and loving messages to the Williams family, the fundraiser has collected over $100,000 since beginning the campaign on Monday. Family and friends continue to share the fundraising page mycause.com.au/rememberingmitch on social media to garner support for the grieving young family.

Many of the donations are accompanied by heartfelt messages, including numerous messages from parents of current and former students. The Goodwin Family wrote: “We are absolutely devastated and heartbroken at the loss of our teacher and friend Mitch Williams. Not only an amazing teacher, but a great role model to his students. We are so blessed for the time Mitch spent educating and encouraging our children to achieve their best.”

Another message reads : “A lovely and popular teacher at Haileybury City who was so kind and supportive…”. 

And yet another: “I’m so incredibly sad. He’s one of the reasons for why I strived to become sports captain this year at KPS ‘22. You’ll be sadly missed ??”

A former colleague wrote: “I had the pleasure of working with Mitch at Keilor PS. His laughter was one of a kind and made everyone feel like they mattered…

If you have a friend you'd like to assist in a difficult time, mycause can help make that happen.