Kato Ottio: Widnes Vikings pay tribute after rugby league star dies aged 23
WIDNES are rallying around the family of Kato Ottio following his shock death.
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Ottio, 23, signed from Canberra Raiders after helping Papua New Guinea reach the quarter-finals of the 2017 World Cup, passed away at the Pacific International Hospital in Port Moresby in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
The centre collapsed due to a “sudden health issue” during a road run with his former PNG Hunters team-mates.
The news has rocked rugby league in the southern and northern hemispheres and will delay prop Wellington Albert’s arrival from the PNG Hunters as he undergoes counselling in the wake of Ottio’s passing.
Albert was due to fly to England with Ottio and the pair were set to share a house together in Widnes.
Widnes coach Denis Betts said: “I’m still in shock. I spoke to Kato on Saturday and he was excited about coming to play for us.
“It’s hard to believe because we had just got bedding and other things like crockery today for the place where he and Wellington were going to live. To get this news is devastating, and our thoughts are with his family.”
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Widnes have set up an online fund-raising scheme to support Ottio’s family and say they will make their own private donation.
The club have also announced there will be a bucket collection at Friday’s pre-season friendly against Whitehaven, before which there will be a minute’s silence to remember the player.
Widnes chief executive James Rule said: “We were getting updates throughout the day that were not sounding very positive.
“The poor guy hadn’t regained consciousness and was in a critical condition.
“It was actually Wellington Albert who’s out there and let us know. He sent me an email with the horrendous news last night that he’d passed away in the afternoon with the time difference there.
“We’re all numb and pretty much in shock here. It happened very quickly.
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“The physicality, his raw physical attributes, would have made him a hero with our supporters.
“But there was potential for him to be a real star of the game outside of just our fanbase.”
PNG Hunters coach Michael Marum said of Albert: “We will make sure Wellington is in the right mind before he leaves here.
“Currently his mind is not right so we are trying to give him assistance. Not only Wellington but the other players as well.”
Players throughout the game paid tribute to Ottio, with new Warrington signing Sitaleki Akauola saying: “I didn’t know Kato personally but always crossed paths on the footy field and at the end of the day we are one big rugby family. Condolences to friends and family.”
