Death of Melbourne Grammar rower caused by rare disease, not overtraining: coroner

The death of a Melbourne Grammar School student who collapsed after rowing training last year was caused by a rare vascular disease, a coroner’s report has found.

Edward Millear, 17, suffered a cardiac arrest at the school’s boat shed on the banks of the Yarra on the afternoon of February 18, 2025, and died in the early hours of the following morning.

The death of the much-loved schoolboy sent shockwaves through the close-knit community of the city’s private schools and led to speculation that the hyper-competitive nature of schools’ rowing teams was resulting in young people over-training in a dangerous manner.

But Coroner David Ryan has found that Eddy, as he was known by family and friends, died as a result of undiagnosed fibro-muscular dysplasia (FMD), a rare disease that thickens arteries and causes damage to blood vessel walls, potentially impeding blood flow.

Staff contacted emergency services and began CPR before Fire Rescue Victoria and Ambulance Victoria arrived and took over. Eddy was given a shock with a defibrillator and received adrenaline. Emergency services staff intubated the boy to support the functioning of his heart and lungs before taking him to the intensive care unit at The Alfred hospital, where he underwent surgery.

But his condition deteriorated, and he was transitioned to comfort care and died at 3.10am the next morning.

“In the circumstances, I am satisfied that Edward’s tragic death was caused by a rare vascular disease which resulted in him experiencing a cardiac arrest after participating in vigorous exercise,” Ryan wrote in his report.

The disease was detected by forensic pathologist Dr Daniel Hussey of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, who examined the thoracic cavity in Eddy’s heart after the young rower’s death.

The coroner offered his condolences to the Millear family, noting that Eddy was “warmly remembered as a beautiful young man and is deeply mourned by his family and friends”.

Ryan also described him as a diligent student who “enthusiastically participated in sporting activities including rugby and rowing” and was known by his family to be fit, healthy and athletic.

At Millear’s funeral in March last year, his father, Spencer, described Edward as “a good mate, and he was a good son”.

“He was inquisitive. He was smart about what was going on around him. He just knew stuff … Ed had wisdom and kindness beyond his years and a way with people that endeared him to them. Everyone loved Eddy.”

Melbourne Grammar School declined to comment on Tuesday evening.

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