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Grant Hackett’s family members have revealed their devastation after the three-time Olympic gold medallist was arrested on Wednesday following a dramatic breakdown.
Craig Hackett, says his swimming star brother is “a completely different person” from the champion that not long ago had “the world at his feet.”
“He’s a danger to himself. He’s a danger to the community,” Craig told News.com.au.
“The Grant Hackett that Australia fell in love with, they can still have that affection towards him,” he continued.
“This is not Grant Hackett.”
“I don’t know this person. I don’t know this person, my mum and dad don’t know this person. He’s there in body, but he’s not there in mind, soul or spirit.”
The 36-year-old was handcuffed and driven away in a police car from his parent’s Gold Coast home yesterday morning, after “flying into an uncontrollable rage.”
His dad, Neville, confessed that he had no other option but to call 000 as his son, who had been drinking heavily, became increasingly abusive and aggressive.
According to witnesses, Hackett was “going off” and stabbing a knife into a chopping block.
However, the talented long-distance swimmer was reportedly asleep when eight officer’s arrived to arrest him. He was released without charge just three hours later and is currently being treated in hospital.
“Grant’s got a medical problem and it manifested itself here this morning… he was raving and ranting,” Neville told the Gold Coast Bulletin.
“He’s been receiving treatment from a doctor. He’s big and powerful when he’s not happy.”
“We decided he needed some treatment but there was no way he was going to go and get treatment this morning so we called the police.”
“The only way the police can do anything under the law of the land is to arrest him for domestic violence.”
A former policeman himself, Neville, admitted his son “didn’t even make any threats, but was not what you say is a normal person.”
“We’ve got a long battle,” Craig said of the family’s ongoing struggle to deal with his brother’s mental health issues.
“We’ll do anything to help him. Anything at all but it’s hard for people with this sort of problem.”
“This is now a chronic problem and it looks like it’s not going to go away in a hurry,” he added.
“From a mental health perspective I hope something can be done.”
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