Shocking reveal: AFL legend mistaken for dead—hear his story now!
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Navigating unexpected events can leave us uncertain about how to react. Imagine if an organisation mistakenly declares you deceased
A situation that might seem like an honest mistake but could have implications for those around you.
Such events underscore the importance of clarity and accuracy in procedures and communications.
In a confusing mix-up of events, AFL legend Michael Porter found himself prematurely inducted into the afterlife—at least, according to the Australian Football Hall of Fame's memorial tribute.
The Hawthorn legend was very much alive and kicking and mistakenly included in the prestigious ceremony's 'In Memoriam' segment.
This error has since sparked a flurry of conversations and apologies.
The blunder occurred during a night meant to celebrate the sport's finest. Collingwood's Dan Swan was inducted into the AFL's Hall of Fame, and Hawthorn's Jason Dunstall was elevated to Legend status.
However, the tribute to those who had passed caught unexpected attention when Porter, also known as 'Portholes,' was featured.
The 79-year-old, who played 78 games for Hawthorn and was part of the 1971 team that won a flag, was understandably taken aback when he started receiving calls from concerned former teammates.
From his home in the Sydney suburb of Greenwich, Porter recounted the surreal experience.
‘I found out when a friend rang me and said “thank god”. It was a bloke called John Fisher, who I played football with at Hawthorn,’ Porter explained.
‘“What do you mean?” I said, and he said, “Apparently, you’re dead. It’s been on the Hall of Fame. Did you see it?” and I said, “No, I didn’t”. And then all of a sudden, I’ve got other phone calls from other ex-teammates, and then I started getting phone calls left, right and centre.’
While Porter took the mistake in stride, labelling it an 'honest' error, the incident left his wife deeply upset.
‘She was more devastated than I was. I haven’t spoken to my kids about it yet,’ he said.
‘In hindsight, now I sort of think “Oh, bit of a bad mistake”.’
The AFL's claim that they had reached out to him post-mistake was adding to Porter's frustration, a claim he firmly refuted.
‘I read today that the AFL said that they had actually spoken to me, and they haven’t,’ he cleared up.
'They made a mistake and then they’re saying “Oh we’ve contacted him. He understands” but they haven’t contacted me.'
On the other hand, the AFL released a statement asserting that they had apologised to Porter for the mistake and thanked him for his understanding.
‘Once this innocent mistake was realised we moved quickly to ring and apologise to everyone affected, including Michael, and we thank him for his understanding,’ the statement said.
Despite the commotion, Porter reassured everyone that he is 'alive and I'm well’.
‘It’s all over, really. I’m alive, and I’m well. Had 43 turns at golf today. Can’t do much better than that,’ he assured.
In related news, an AFL icon revealed his battle with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and is now in remission after undergoing chemotherapy.
He was given a prognosis of one to three months to live without treatment, which deeply affected him. You can read more about his story here.
Have you or someone you know ever been the subject of a similar mix-up? How did you or they handle the situation? Share your stories with us in the comments below.
A situation that might seem like an honest mistake but could have implications for those around you.
Such events underscore the importance of clarity and accuracy in procedures and communications.
In a confusing mix-up of events, AFL legend Michael Porter found himself prematurely inducted into the afterlife—at least, according to the Australian Football Hall of Fame's memorial tribute.
The Hawthorn legend was very much alive and kicking and mistakenly included in the prestigious ceremony's 'In Memoriam' segment.
This error has since sparked a flurry of conversations and apologies.
The image of Michael Porter was featured in the memorial section. Credit: SKY ShowBiz / Facebook
The blunder occurred during a night meant to celebrate the sport's finest. Collingwood's Dan Swan was inducted into the AFL's Hall of Fame, and Hawthorn's Jason Dunstall was elevated to Legend status.
However, the tribute to those who had passed caught unexpected attention when Porter, also known as 'Portholes,' was featured.
The 79-year-old, who played 78 games for Hawthorn and was part of the 1971 team that won a flag, was understandably taken aback when he started receiving calls from concerned former teammates.
From his home in the Sydney suburb of Greenwich, Porter recounted the surreal experience.
‘I found out when a friend rang me and said “thank god”. It was a bloke called John Fisher, who I played football with at Hawthorn,’ Porter explained.
‘“What do you mean?” I said, and he said, “Apparently, you’re dead. It’s been on the Hall of Fame. Did you see it?” and I said, “No, I didn’t”. And then all of a sudden, I’ve got other phone calls from other ex-teammates, and then I started getting phone calls left, right and centre.’
While Porter took the mistake in stride, labelling it an 'honest' error, the incident left his wife deeply upset.
‘She was more devastated than I was. I haven’t spoken to my kids about it yet,’ he said.
‘In hindsight, now I sort of think “Oh, bit of a bad mistake”.’
The AFL's claim that they had reached out to him post-mistake was adding to Porter's frustration, a claim he firmly refuted.
‘I read today that the AFL said that they had actually spoken to me, and they haven’t,’ he cleared up.
'They made a mistake and then they’re saying “Oh we’ve contacted him. He understands” but they haven’t contacted me.'
On the other hand, the AFL released a statement asserting that they had apologised to Porter for the mistake and thanked him for his understanding.
‘Once this innocent mistake was realised we moved quickly to ring and apologise to everyone affected, including Michael, and we thank him for his understanding,’ the statement said.
Despite the commotion, Porter reassured everyone that he is 'alive and I'm well’.
‘It’s all over, really. I’m alive, and I’m well. Had 43 turns at golf today. Can’t do much better than that,’ he assured.
In related news, an AFL icon revealed his battle with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and is now in remission after undergoing chemotherapy.
He was given a prognosis of one to three months to live without treatment, which deeply affected him. You can read more about his story here.
Have you or someone you know ever been the subject of a similar mix-up? How did you or they handle the situation? Share your stories with us in the comments below.
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