Russell Gilbert

[ledge]

As we know Russell's partner sadly took her own life not long ago, Russell a few months ago suffered an aneurism.
As an update he survived and he is on a very very long hard road to recovery.
God bless him and I hope the road is a successful one.
Aneurisms do not have a very good history of full recovery sadly.
Only last year I talked to him at a game and he was such a nice and happy man.

[Twodogs]

best of luck to Russell. As you say he is a top bloke.

[Eastdog]

That's really good to hear. I wish Russell and his family well.

[Scraggers]

Thanks for the update Ledge

[merantau]

Best wishes to Russell for a full recovery in 2016.

[bornadog]

Hopefully he fully recovers, he has gone through a really bad patch in his life.

[Remi Moses]

Good luck to Russell
Genuine good guy .
Speedy recovery, and back for September

[Bulldog4life]

Was at a birthday bash on Saturday night and speaking to two mates of Russell. His is coping but unfortunately and sadly he had 2 strokes as well. His body was not affected but he has trouble at this stage remembering what words to say and cannot pronounce them. Doctors are hoping that this improves.

[ledge]

My dad has had a few strokes over the last 20 years he is 86 and actually going quite well,
His first one he lost all his feeling in one side but got it all
Back.
So their is lots of hope that he can come back if he looks after himself and does the right thing.

[Bulldog4life]

My dad has had a few strokes over the last 20 years he is 86 and actually going quite well,
His first one he lost all his feeling in one side but got it all
Back.
So their is lots of hope that he can come back if he looks after himself and does the right thing.

Thats true. Similar to my dad Ledge who lived to 95. Fingers crossed for Russ.

[Murphy'sLore]

My dad had a massive stroke last year at 76, paralysed down his right side and lost his speech completely. He's gradually recovered some function in his right leg and slight sensation in his arm (no movement though), but his speech has not come back at all. He's gone from vigorous and totally independent to living in an aged care facility and needing high care, overnight. I think he's struggling with the dependence as much as anything and is often very depressed.

I'm so sorry to hear about Russell. The odds of a good recovery are higher if you're relatively young, so with a bit of luck he should come out the other side okay. Rehab can achieve amazing things. Wishing him all the best.

[KT31]

Wishing Russell all the very best and hope it all starts to turn around for him soon.

[Cyberdoggie]

I heard Mark Fine on SEN talking about Russell and his health problems a few weeks back and he was as emotional as I have ever heard him, obviously a very close friend of Russell's and concerned for his well being.

Really hope he makes a recovery and we see him at a game in the future enjoying the spoils of a doggies victory.

[Jam Donuts]

Thanks for the update, all the best Russell make 2016 the year of recovery for you.

[Axe Man]

Comedian Russell Gilbert’s Western Bulldogs turn around tough year



COMEDIAN Russell Gilbert has revealed how his beloved Western Bulldogs gave him hope and a light at the end of the tunnel in the midst of troubled times.

The Melbourne comic said he had been “really doing it tough’’ recently as he battled serious health and personal problems.

But he has barely missed a Bulldogs game in that period and credits the team’s fairytale rise to tomorrow night’s preliminary final as a key reason he finds himself on the road to recovery.

“A lot of people know I’ve been doing it really hard with my health but without these guys I’d be doing it even harder,’’ he said.

After a brief childhood stint barracking for Collingwood, Gilbert has been a Bulldogs fanatic ever since, and counts his lucky stars he grew up near Whitten Oval with mates such as Footscray great Doug Hawkins.

This weekend he will cruise up the Hume Highway with friends to see the Bulldogs take on Greater Western Sydney for a spot in next week’s AFL Grand Final.

“I’ve been a supporter for over 50 years and been heartbroken with narrow preliminary losses,’’ he said.

“We are now ready to take the next step — I can’t wait.

“It’s been 60-plus years for our supporters to see the holy grail and I think this year can be that year.’’

Gilbert, 56, is recovering from the tragic death of his partner of 19 years, Rochelle Nolan, a brain aneurysm diagnosed two weeks after her death, and a massive stroke during surgery.

“This year has been hard, I’ve got to be honest,’’ he said.

“But I’m getting better every day.’’

He said the Bulldogs’ feel-good progression through the finals had brought a smile to his face, like most footy fans.

“At the moment people are excited about what is happening and trying to put it all together,’’ he said.

“They’re not far away and it’s great to listen and watch.’’

Grant Dickinson, a mate of Gilbert’s who worked alongside him on Hey Hey It’s Saturday, said the Bulldogs’ season had been therapeutic for him.

“He goes every single week and the Bulldogs have been a great thing for him this year,’’ he said.

“It’s really given him something to enjoy and he just loves them, he bleeds for them.”

Gilbert admits forgetting the names of players as his recovery continues but even that has conjured another reason to love the Bulldogs faithful.

As he struggles to find the right name to yell at red, white and blue, goal kickers on the field, he said pint-sized Doggies fans at grounds circle the names in AFL records and tell him the correct ones to shout.

“The kids have been fantastic,” he said.