World · East Asia & Pacific · 3 hrs ago
Beaconsfield mine survivor Todd Russell to spend final days at home
Todd Russell says he will leave hospital to spend his final days at home with his wife, children and other loved ones.
The 54-year-old has been at Launceston General Hospital in Tasmania for eight and a half months.
He said there are no further medical or physical options after years of pain, treatment and setbacks.
Russell thanked hospital staff for their care during what he described as a difficult journey.
He became widely known after surviving the 2006 Beaconsfield mine collapse in northern Tasmania, when he and Brant Webb were trapped underground by a rockfall.
The two men were found alive six days later and rescued after 14 days underground; their workmate Larry Knight died.
Russell plans to leave hospital the following day and be with family and friends at home.
Beaconsfield mine survivor Todd Russell says he will leave hospital after eight and a half months to spend his final days at home with his family.
Russell, 54, said there were no further medical or physical options and that he had no more fight left.
He shared the news on social media on November 3, thanking staff at Launceston General Hospital for their care.
Russell and Brant Webb were trapped underground in the 2006 Beaconsfield mine collapse and were rescued after 14 days.
- Who
- Todd Russell, a survivor of the Beaconsfield mine collapse.
- What
- He plans to leave hospital and spend his final days at home with his family.
- When
- He announced this on November 3, 2026, and said he would leave hospital the following day.
- Where
- Launceston General Hospital and his home in Tasmania.
- Why
- He said there were no further medical or physical options and he had no more fight left.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Russell’s health struggles were made public, with an announcement that he had received unfortunate health news and had been unwell.
Russell posted a hospital image and said he had begun treatment for an undisclosed illness.
Russell announced he would leave hospital after eight and a half months to spend his final days at home.
Russell said he would leave hospital the following day.
- Age
- 54
- Hospital stay
- Eight and a half months
- Hospital
- Launceston General Hospital
- Mine rescue
- Russell and Brant Webb were underground for 14 days
- Collapse date
- Anzac Day, April 25, 2006
3 sources
What people are saying
The time has come, medically and physically, where there are no further options on either front for me, and there is no more fight left in me.
I will leave hospital tomorrow after eight and a half months for the last time to see out my days in my own home surrounded by my wife, kids, loved ones and friends.
A massive thank you to the incredible staff at the LGH, their overwhelming support, care & kindness have helped to soften the daily grind of what has been an incredibly difficult journey.