- Hyron Andrews, 31, died on Friday 16 October while on tour with the Lions in France, leaving behind his wife and two sons
- Andrews was found unconscious in a shower cubicle at the team's hotel on the Île de Ré, with paramedics responding to a cardiorespiratory arrest
- The Lions confirmed the team would still honour their Champions Cup opener against La Rochelle the following day as a tribute to Andrews
Lions lock forward Hyron Andrews, 31, died on Friday 16 October while on tour with the Lions in France, leaving behind his wife Maiglin Andrews and the couple's two young sons, Hendrix and Emerson.
Andrews was discovered unconscious in a shower cubicle at the team's hotel on the Île de Ré, an island off France's western coast, which had served as the Lions' training base since Tuesday. Emergency services were called shortly after 10am, and paramedics attended to the player, who was in cardiorespiratory arrest. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Initial reports pointed to a suspected heart attack, but SA Rugby's official statement described the death differently. "SA Rugby on Friday sent its condolences to the family of Lions lock forward Hyron Andrews who passed away tragically, following an accident while on duty with his team in France," the statement read.
The Wife Andrews Left Behind
Maiglin Andrews is an American medical practitioner with a background in emergency medicine, originally from Ironwood, Michigan. She first visited Durban, South Africa, to study, and it was there that she and Hyron met.
The couple sustained a long-distance relationship for more than six years before Hyron proposed in Ireland in September 2021. Maiglin relocated to Durban full-time in December 2021, and the pair married in July 2022 at the BlueBridge Event Centre in Grawn, Northern Michigan.
"One month into my trip, I met my now husband, Hyron. We managed a long-distance relationship for over 6 years, got engaged in Ireland in September 2021, and then I moved to Durban full-time in December 2021," Maiglin wrote in a newsletter.
The Lions extended their condolences directly to the family in a public statement.
"Our deepest and most heartfelt condolences go to Hyron's wife, Maighlin, their young sons, and the entire Andrews family. We hold them in our thoughts during this time of unimaginable grief and ask that their privacy be respected as they mourn," the club said.
Lions to Honour Andrews at La Rochelle Fixture
Andrews died just one day before the Lions' Champions Cup opener against La Rochelle, scheduled for Saturday 17 October.
The club confirmed the team would fulfil the fixture as a mark of respect, with further details on the planned tribute to be communicated in due course.
Source: Briefly News