'A gentleman who taught me so much': Former AFL star and model Tom Derickx pays tribute to his beloved grandfather after his death
Tom Derickx has paid tribute to his grandfather, Johannes Gradus Derickx, after his death in an emotional post on Instagram on Wednesday.
The 33-year-old former Australian rules footballer and model shared a series of photos of his beloved 'Pa'.
'Said goodbye to my grandad yesterday, a gentleman who taught me so much. Give that big heart a rest, Pa,' he captioned the post.
Loss: Tom Derickx has paid tribute to his grandfather, Johannes Gradus Derickx, after his death in an emotional post on Instagram on Wednesday
Among the pictures Tom included was a photo of the cover of the order of service from his grandfather's funeral.
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Entitled 'a celebration of his life', the booklet read that Johannes was born March 15, 1931 and died on June 21, 2021.
He bore a striking resemblance to his famous grandson in his younger days, with the same brooding brown eyes and thick mane of hair.
RIP: The 33-year-old former Australian rules footballer and model shared a series of photos of his beloved 'Pa'
'Said goodbye to my grandad yesterday, a gentleman who taught me so much. Give that big heart a rest, Pa,' he captioned the post
Tom also included a series of photos of himself with his grandfather, including one of his proud Pa holding him as a baby.
Another photo showed Johannes beaming as he stood next to Tom, who was dressed in his Sydney Swans AFL uniform.
A final photo showed Tom sitting on his Pa's lap as a little boy, alongside another young boy.
Memorial: Among the pictures Tom included was a photo of the cover of the order of service from his grandfather's funeral
Tribute: Tom also included a series of photos of himself with his grandfather, including one of his proud Pa holding him as a baby
Fans flooded the comments section with red love hearts, conveying their condolences to Tom and his family.
After retiring from the AFL in 2016, Tom turned to fashion, and has been working steadily as a model.
He also appeared in last year's Channel Seven charity striptease TV special, All New Monty: Guys and Gals.
Making memories: A final photo showed Tom sitting on his Pa's lap as a little boy, alongside another young boy
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