Footy star Majak Daw opens up about why he tried to take his own life twice before jumping 25m off a bridge - and the moment he knew he had made a 'terrible mistake'

AFL star Majak Daw has bravely laid bare his mental health struggles which saw him try and take his own life three times.

The Sudanese born former North Melbourne player also opened up about suffering racial abuse as well as his battles with alcoholism while playing professional footy in a raw interview with Hamish McLachlan for the Herald Sun.

Daw, 30, fled his native Sudan during the Second Civil War in 2000 when he was nine years old. He settled in Egypt with his parents and siblings before moving to Melbourne in 2003.

After showing elite athleticism as a student at MacKillop College in Werribee, footy doors soon opened.

He was recruited by the Kangaroos as a rookie pick in 2010, which resulted in international headlines as he was the first Sudanese player in AFL history to be drafted.

Footy star Majak Daw co-parents his son Hendrix with former girlfriend Emily McKay

The one-time North Melbourne utility has recalled the harrowing details in 2018 where he tried to take his own life (pictured, with son Hendrix)

Daw eventually made his senior debut three years later against the Brisbane Lions.  

In December of 2018 Daw appeared to be living the dream as a well paid and admired professional athlete in footy-mad Victoria.

But in private he was battling mental demons, abusing alcohol, and clashing with his then-partner Emily McKay, with whom he now co-parents with his son Hendrix.  

In a haunting recollection, Daw revealed the night after Ms McKay told him she was pregnant the pair had a fight and he got drunk at a barbecue that was being held on top of his apartment building.

Heavily intoxicated, he tried to take his life twice before sending Ms McKay a text message and driving to the Bolte Bridge on the outskirts of Melbourne's CBD.

'I threw my phone back in the car and jumped over the rails into the darkness,' Daw said, realising while hurtling through the air that he had made a terrible mistake.

Incredibly, Daw survived the impact with the water 25m below, but his injuries were severe.

He fractured his pelvis and back, as well as breaking both hips instantly, and recalled fighting for breath and struggling to get back to the surface.

'I started swimming just using my arms. Everything else was either broken or not working pretty much. Looking back, realising how close I was to one of the poles that holds the bridge up, I was so lucky,' he said.

It was a miracle he lived to tell the tale, with Daw forever thankful to emergency services who arrived on the scene within minutes.

Daw's parents were shattered at the news, which was the first they knew of his mental health problems, and found it hard to get over being some of the last to find out. 

Remarkably, after more than 700 days after the bridge plunge, Daw made his AFL return on August 1 last year. 

It was a triumphant life moment for the footy star, who has made the most of his second chance at life and is now a devoted dad.

AFL star Majak Daw who survived a suicide attempt in 2018 has a message for people struggling with their mental health - seek professional help

Daw is looking to resurrect his career with the Melbourne Demons after he was delisted by North Melbourne in 2020

But despite his new lease on life, Daw still reflects with a hint of anger over his experiences with racism. 

He suffered from harassment and abuse as a child in Egypt, and recalls being called a 'monkey' on the street.

As much as the experience enraged him, he was told by a relative to let the slur slide as the repercussions for his family would be severe.

Then when cutting his teeth in the second-tier Victorian Football League back in 2011, he was racially abused by a supporter, who called him a 'black ape'.

Majak Daw was a rookie draft pick for North Melbourne in 2010 - which was  international news given his Sudanese background

'I broke down. It was more the disbelief that it was still happening. It rattled me and reminded me that I wasn’t like everyone else,' he said.  

Daw, now on the books of the Melbourne Demons, also had a message for people struggling with their mental health - seek professional help before it is too late.

He also recommended opening up to trusted family and friends.

Fast forward to 2021 and Daw is happy, but he knows life can change very quickly.

He is thankful for having good people in his inner circle, and remains hopeful of returning to AFL football with the high-flying Demons after he was delisted by the Kangaroos last year.  

If you or someone you know is in need of professional help, call Lifeline on 131 114, visit lifeline.org.au, or call Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636

Majak Daw: A remarkable life

DOB: 11/3/91

Born: South Sudan, then moved to Egypt (2000) and Australia (2003)

School: Mackillop College, Werribee

Junior club: Western Jets

Drafted: 2010 by North Melbourne Kangaroos (pick nine), first Sudanese born player officially drafted by a professional AFL club

Senior debut: Round 4, 2013 v Brisbane Lions

Career stats: 54 senior games, 43 goals

Current club: Melbourne Demons