NEED TO KNOW
\nPhoenix Spicer, a 23-year-old former Australian Football League (AFL) player, died on Friday, Jan. 2Spicer, who was originally from Numbulwar, played for the North Melbourne Football Club from 2020 to 2023A loved one described the late athlete as \u201ca beautiful, loyal and strong Nunggubuyu man\u201d<\/p>\n
Australian Football League<\/a> alum Phoenix Spicer has died. He was 23.\n<\/p>\n Spicer died the evening of Friday, Jan. 2, according to a statement from Dharna Nicholson-Bux, the sister of his girlfriend, Ky-ya Nicholson Ward.\n<\/p>\n She wrote in a Facebook<\/a> post on Saturday, Jan. 3, \u201cWe are devastated to share that last night we tragically lost our brother Phoenix Spicer. A beautiful, loyal and strong Nunggubuyu man.\u201d\n<\/p>\n She added, \u201cPhoenix will forever be our beloved brother, uncle, son, a partner to Ky-ya and a second dad to Jordy. Our hearts are broken with your sudden loss, you are watching over us in the Dreaming now my brother we will miss you!\u201d\u00a0\n<\/p>\n His cause of death has not been revealed.\n<\/p>\n Phoenix Spicer in 2023.<\/p>\n Erick W. Rasco\/Sports Illustrated via Getty<\/p>\n Spicer, who played for the North Melbourne Football Club, was drafted in 2020 and played his first game in 2021. His last game with the team was in 2023, per the club\u2019s site, NMFC.com<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n The athlete was originally from Numbulwar, a remote community in northern Australia, and was a proud member of the Nunggubuyu, one of the country\u2019s Indigenous peoples, per NMFC.\n<\/p>\n