‘I cried in front of everybody’: How a Magpie’s quiet act of kindness stunned a Melbourne mother

Mel Schneider, a 40-year-old Melbourne mother of four, described feeling overwhelmed during a recent charity event in Melbourne's CBD, where a surprising act of kindness from an AFL player brought tears to her eyes. Speaking at the 22nd annual Footy Finals Fever lunch hosted by the non-profit organization Very Special Kids, Schneider recounted how her family’s life has been shaped by the challenges of caring for her eldest son, Wil, who has survived multiple rare illnesses since birth. The emotional moment came after a raffle prize, a $10,000 all-inclusive trip to a luxury resort in Bali, was unexpectedly gifted to her and Wil by Collingwood footballer Jeremy Howe. Schneider, who shares her story with a mix of gratitude and emotion, explained how daily life for her family often involves meticulous planning. For her, simple pleasures like a spontaneous movie night or a family holiday are rare luxuries. Her 15-year-old son, Wil, has endured a series of severe health issues, including leukemia, chronic lung disease, epilepsy, developmental delays, and a rare genetic condition known as CBL syndrome. Born prematurely at 31 weeks, Wil weighed only four kilograms at 10 months, an amount barely larger than a newborn. After two years in intensive care, Wil has grown into a spirited, determined teenager who is passionate about the Richmond Tigers. The event, which attracted over 500 attendees, included notable figures such as AFL legends Chris Judd, Dyson Heppell, and Brent Harvey, alongside veteran Collingwood defender Jeremy Howe. During her speech, Schneider reflected on one of the darkest moments of her life, the day she underwent an emergency caesarean following a routine ultrasound that revealed signs of Wil’s heart failing. Doctors gathered in a circle, delivering the grim news that they were out of treatment options and advised her to focus on making Wil comfortable before he passed away. It was during this conversation that she first learned about Very Special Kids, a nonprofit dedicated to providing palliative care and support for children with life-limiting conditions and their families. Schneider’s journey with Very Special Kids began shortly after that devastating diagnosis. With the help of the organization and its support worker Anna, the family navigated grief through emergency respite, counseling, and structured activities designed to bring some sense of normalcy to their lives. The charity’s role became increasingly vital as the family continued to face ongoing medical challenges, including the loss of one of Schneider’s other children, Elle, who passed away at just 13 days old due to hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a condition where the left side of the heart is too small to adequately pump blood throughout the body. As the event progressed, Schneider was once again asked to take the stage. Her son, Wil, wore his favorite Richmond Tigers jersey and sat beside her as the evening’s hosts, David Schwarz and David King, drew raffle prizes. When the first prize, a Bali getaway, was announced as belonging to Jeremy Howe, the Collingwood player had already departed early to collect his children from school. In response, the charity’s chief executive, Michael Wasley, made a quick phone call and soon returned to the microphone with the astonishing news that Howe had decided to gift the prize to Schneider and Wil. “I was like, wait, what?” Schneider recalled. “I cried in front of everybody. I didn’t expect it, it was just very overwhelming.” Though Howe declined to comment publicly, a Collingwood spokesperson confirmed the story. Schneider is now considering taking the Bali trip with her children early next year, envisioning it as a meaningful family celebration. She plans to include her parents, brother, and nieces in the outing, hoping to create lasting memories. As the demand for pediatric palliative care services continues to rise in Victoria, Very Special Kids has noted that the number of children and families they’ve supported at the end of life has increased significantly within the first half of 2026.